Politico: Intel world struggles to crack the code of an untrusting Trump
How do you brief a president who refuses to believe what you tell him?
Donald Trump's insult-laced dismissal of reports that the CIA believes Russia hacked the 2016 election to help him is rattling a spy community already puzzled over how to gain the ear and trust of the incoming president.
Some fear that Trump's highly public rebukes of the U.S. intelligence apparatus will undermine morale in the spy agencies, politicize their work, and damage their standing in a world filled with adversaries. After all, if the U.S. president doesn't believe his own intelligence officials, why should anyone else?
"There is nothing more sacred to intelligence officers than their professionalism, honesty and non-partisanship. Trump's charges strike at the core of their integrity," said John Sipher, a former CIA officer with broad expertise on Russia.
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WNU Editor: If I was in President-Elect Trump's shoes I would be having trouble trusting U.S. intelligence .... especially when I look at their track record of the past few years. But this entire argument is moot. I am sure that the first thing that President-Elect Trump is going to do when he assumes the Presidency is to replace the political appointees of these intelligence agencies with his own appointees .... in short .... with people that he trusts and has confidence in. After that .... I am sure that he will then feel more comfortable with the intelligence that he will be receiving. A common mistake that many make is that we do not appreciate on how politicised intelligence really is. The run-up to the Iraq war is a testament to that .... and if I had the time I would list a few dozen more examples. When it comes to intelligence the key .... especially on the big decisions .... will always rest on the President asking the right questions, questioning the intelligence that he is receiving, and telling the intel community on what they need to focus on that will help him make the right decision. If President-elect Trump follows this course .... there should be no problems. If not .... and intelligence does become politicised or presented to accommodate the President's biases .... as I have said previously .... huge mistakes and disasters are the usual outcome.
