Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BumRushDaShow

(143,063 posts)
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 04:29 PM Nov 8

Former intelligence officials worry Trump will try to politicize and weaponize CIA

Source: NBC News

Nov. 8, 2024, 5:00 AM EST


At the end of his first term in office, then-President Donald Trump sought to install Kash Patel, a hard-line MAGA loyalist, as deputy CIA director. But the head of the agency at the time, Gina Haspel, a career intelligence officer, threatened to resign in protest, and the appointment was scuttled.

Now, four years later, Patel is considered a possible pick for CIA director or another high-level national security post in a second Trump administration. And there likely will be no one to stand in his way this time.

Patel is one of several fiercely loyal political allies who President-elect Trump is considering to oversee the country’s national security. In his first term in office, Trump frequently clashed with his deputies and top officials, who he came to view as insufficiently loyal to his agenda.

This time, the president-elect is keen to fill his administration with people who will carry out his decisions without question, according to sources familiar with the transition process.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/former-cia-officials-worry-trump-politicize-weaponize-intelligence-age-rcna179024

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Irish_Dem

(58,516 posts)
7. CIA doesn't seem to be the brightest bulbs do they?
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 04:44 PM
Nov 8

They are worried about it?

They better be extracting assets and burning classified intel as we speak.

Ohioboy

(3,479 posts)
4. Trump is going to weaponize everything he can
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 04:34 PM
Nov 8

Isn't that what he tried to do the first time, but was stopped by people who had values. This time around those people won't be there.

Jit423

(340 posts)
8. The CIA ought to be equipped with the resources and patriotism to avoid this.
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 04:49 PM
Nov 8

But then, who knows? They may want to be politicized since many already agree with MAGA Trumpism.

moniss

(5,951 posts)
9. Of course he will and
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 04:57 PM
Nov 8

it was done under others like Nixon and Reagan. Former military people went into the CIA and then came out and partnered up with Birchers and billionaires and founded various "non-profit" policy groups that were merely front organizations for raising funds for supporting "our chosen terror groups" like the Contras and others around the world. Even conservatives from foreign governments said those various "front groups" were a collection of fascists, white supremacists, all around racists and neo-Nazis. When you look at who the funders were and who was involved they cross paths again and again such as Roy Cohn. He didn't end when McCarthy did.

The short version of the story is that rabid anti-Communists formed the John Birch Society, as well as other groups, funded by wealthy people and run by connected people and they viewed "taking matters into their own hands" as the thing to do. Anything they didn't like they labeled as being part of the Communist conspiracy. We got McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee and they were off to the races because they now not only had money but they had the political figures they recruited into their cause. Of course they became a natural beacon for the racists and white supremacists etc. and before long these groups were using members who had been in intelligence to conduct spying operations on activists and others. They would then provide these "files" to the FBI and police as well as to the various political figures so they could "leak" supposedly damning details to "friendly" journalists. These groups also knowingly worked to contravene laws passed by the US and to carry out covert operations against foreign policy that they disagreed with. Nixon knew and so did Reagan. The pretend acting of Reagan that he didn't know about most of Iran-Contra is laughable and was at the time.

These groups never really get penalized because they are set up to purposely have enough separation to have a defense about not knowing even as laughable as it is. They are still here today and have blossomed into a huge patch of a tangled web with each other.

travelingthrulife

(819 posts)
13. He said he would do just that. Is that a big enough hint for cia?
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 07:51 PM
Nov 8

maybe they should have worked a little harder on Putin's shenanigans as he worked to install all these lunatics around the country.

wss2001

(81 posts)
14. How many foreign assets will we lose?
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 07:57 PM
Nov 8

I bet assets we have working against Russia and China and Saudi Arabia are in a bit of panic. The are probably scrambling to get out, hoping in the lasts weeks of this administration to be ferreted out of their respective countries. It will take decades to get back what we will lose in the coming four years on so many levels…

Autumn

(46,413 posts)
16. Of course he will. They had 4 years to make sure what trump did could
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 09:27 PM
Nov 8

not be done again. And they did nothing.

Martin68

(24,628 posts)
17. He may try, but from the beginning of his first term in office he insulted the CIA continually. He publicly stated
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 09:30 PM
Nov 8

he had more confidence in Putin than the CIA. They remember that, and they are an impenetrable bureaucracy, built around secrecy and deceit. Trump doesn't have a chance.

johnnyfins

(1,423 posts)
19. I said in an earlier post
Sat Nov 9, 2024, 05:30 AM
Nov 9

It would be wonderful if one of these "Career Officials", that is in danger of being replaced by a TSF lackey, would spill the tea on ALL things Trump. As long as it doesnt endanger lives.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Former intelligence offic...