McMaster “defends” Trump

So here’s what I heard from McMaster:

1.  Trump did not discuss the information with the intelligence services before providing it to the Russians.

2.  It was implied that Trump did indeed release the city where sensitive information was gathered.

3.  Trump did not even know the sources and methods behind this intelligence.

Now let’s add in what we already knew about Trump:

4.  He brags about no longer needing the daily intelligence briefings.  It is reported that he doesn’t even read the bullet points on the occasional intelligence briefings that he does get.

Here are my questions:

What sort of information is it appropriate to provide to our adversary, but not share with the American people?

Where is Pence on this?  Is he getting tired of Trump sawing off the limb he’s on with a tweet, after each previous defense?

We were told that Hillary’s email problem made her unqualified to be President.  Is that still true?

Why is it that all the former intelligence officials who are free to speak their minds (Dems and Republicans) are scathing in their criticism?

PS.  Tom Brown directed me to this, which might be the single most negative report on Trump that I’ve ever read. Here’s just a part of it:

What sets this story apart for me, at least, is that I know one of the sources. And the source is solidly supportive of President Trump, or at least has been and was during Campaign 2016. But the President will not take any internal criticism, no matter how politely it is given. He does not want advice, cannot be corrected, and is too insecure to see any constructive feedback as anything other than an attack.

Frightening.

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45 Responses to “McMaster “defends” Trump”

  1. Gravatar of Scott Freelander Scott Freelander
    16. May 2017 at 12:39

    Yes, as I’ve said before, Trump is basically a drunk driver. He’s mentally ill, presumably having some form of senility and narcissistic personality disorder. This is exactly how one would expect someone with those problems to behave, though obviously direct confirmation isn’t possible.

    I think it highly probably he’s medically unfit to serve, but he also committed a felony when firing Comey, given his own stated purpose in doing so, and he’s in violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, according to many experts.

    These are just a few reasons to remove him from office. If he colluded with Russia, then that’s obviously another reason.

  2. Gravatar of ChargerCarl ChargerCarl
    16. May 2017 at 13:02

    GOP response:

    “This is very concerning”

    *Do nothing*

  3. Gravatar of Benny Lava Benny Lava
    16. May 2017 at 14:30

    No no no Scott. You’ve got it all wrong. This is “fake news”. And what is fake news? Why anything that makes a conservative feel bad. After all if it makes you feel bad it must be fake. Real news is from an anonymous blogger that reports something that makes you feel good. Did I get that right? That’s what I learned from your comment section. Boy I miss the days of Mark S posting actual empirical evidence.

    I doubt this will change the trumpery’s mind on this but anything can happen.

    Also, we’re not even 6 months in.

  4. Gravatar of Benny Lava Benny Lava
    16. May 2017 at 14:32

    Also remember when the conservative punditariat cried in agony over the prospect of an imperial Presidency? Now where is their crocodile tears. I could see through the lies back then but amazing how many others were fooled.

  5. Gravatar of Christian List Christian List
    16. May 2017 at 15:13

    Erick Erickson does not provide new insights, it’s well known that Trump is a narcissist. His claim that he knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows what everybody already knows is just the oldest trick to get more attention and to confirm what people want to hear.

    Still the world is getting better nearly every day according to others. Even Bill Gates just found out when he read Pinker’s famous book from 2011. Astonishing six years later but still.

  6. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:26

    Israel “defends” the information sharing:

    http://archive.is/V5QWA#selection-1641.0-1641.199

    Narrative go bye bye

  7. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:29

    In real news:

    The number of emails and attachments sent to Wikileaks matches the number the anonymous FBI source said was emailed by Seth Rich

    The federal investigator, who requested anonymity, said 44,053 emails and 17,761 attachments between Democratic National Committee leaders, spanning from January 2015 through late May 2016, were transferred from Rich to MacFadyen before May 21.

    https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/16/slain-dnc-staffer-had-contact-with-wikileaks-investigator-says.html

    DNC staffer Seth Rich, NOT “Russia”, was the originator of the leaks

  8. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:31

    A federal investigator who reviewed an FBI forensic report-generated within 96 hours after Seth Rich’s murder-detailing the contents Rich’s computer said he made contact with WikiLeaks.

    Which means the FBI knew all along that Seth Rich was the leaker, and James Comey helped manufacture the Russia narrative to save his colleague and associate (since his days on the board of HSBC) Hillary Clinton.

  9. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:32

    WashPo: “It is information so sensitive, so important not even POTUS is allowed to share it, but we know every detail and are told everything even though we have absolutely no clearance.” Seems legit.

    https://i.imgur.com/pZy65dH.jpg

  10. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:34

    Seth Rich discovered how the DNC was rigging the votes:

    https://i.imgur.com/g0YF58L.jpg

  11. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:35

    The DNC denied the FBI’s requests for access to it’s servers.

    Why?

    Because they weren’t “hacked” by Russia.

  12. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:37

    “I’m definitely for making an example of a suspected leaker whether or not we have any real basis for it.” – John Podesta

    https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/36082?1=1#efmAGPAH-

  13. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 15:42

    All this is why the WaPo, who recently hired pedophile/murderer John Podesta, is on overdrive with fake news, they are trying desperately to distract from the bombshell exposing of the facts surrounding the murder of Seth Rich

    Sumner is subconsciously assisting psychopath communists

    Goodnight everyone, until the next fake news post from Sumner

  14. Gravatar of Devin Devin
    16. May 2017 at 15:59

    Thank you so much for continuing to highlight his ridiculousness. It is all the more powerful from a non-partisan individual. I fear that people — even some liberals I know — are becoming complacent or desensitized to Trump… which is incredibly dangerous. Every time he does something absurd/awful, it needs to be highlighted. So thank you for contributing to that and not standing idly by.

  15. Gravatar of Benjamin Cole Benjamin Cole
    16. May 2017 at 16:09

    Egads. After $6 trillion of counter-productive spending and mayhem in Afghanistan and Iraq, the globalist security nuts are in full-shriek about Trump mentioning the city of “intelligence” operation?

    Trump is a lulu. I guess we have many breathless horrors in front of us, fresh and new ones every day.

    Trump seemed to win D.C. kudos for sending 60 missiles into Syria and dropping the largest conventional bomb ever made in Afghanistan. He showed “strength and resolve.”

    If you want Trump to conform to D.C. conventional wisdom…be careful what you wish for.

  16. Gravatar of Benjamin Cole Benjamin Cole
    16. May 2017 at 17:05

    “Sumner is subconsciously assisting psychopath communists”–Major Freedom.

    Major Freedom is actually pulling in his horns.

    Seems to me this would have read, “Sumner is overtly advocating communist-Islamic terrorism!” back when Major Freedom was fighting weight.

    And where is Ray Lopez? Kidnapped in the Philippines? Waylaid on a Greek island? His mom took away Internet privileges in the Indiana basement he posts from?

  17. Gravatar of Benjamin Cole Benjamin Cole
    16. May 2017 at 18:22

    Hot flash: Trump has just hired Boris Badinoff as new White House Security Chief!

    And to replace the suddenly fired CIA Chief Mick Pompeo, Trump has selected Maxwell Smart!

  18. Gravatar of Benjamin Cole Benjamin Cole
    16. May 2017 at 18:50

    From Real Clear Politics:

    “Trump administration national security adviser H.R. McMaster spoke to the White House press corps Tuesday clarifying his short and poorly received statement Monday denying allegations made in a Washington Post article that the president revealed classified information in a conversation with the Russian ambassador.

    McMaster reiterated that the article was completely false, and said the current focus should be the danger of leaks like that which sourced the Post article.

    “I think the real issue — and I think that I would like to see really debated more — is our national security has been put at risk by those violating confidentiality and those releasing information to the press, that can be used and connected with other information available to make America citizens and other more vulnerable,” McMaster stated.”

    —30—

    My response: Where are Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin when you need them?

    Can we call in Inspector Clouseau to get to the bottom of this?

    Maybe Barney Fife can step up to the plate….

  19. Gravatar of Patrick R. Sullivan Patrick R. Sullivan
    16. May 2017 at 19:00

    Again, Trump’s critics are incapable of even high school level reading comprehension. The Erick Erickson piece is juvenile.

    The WaPo is obviously trying to relive their past glory by taking down another President my shameless distortions of what happened with the Trump-Russians confab.

    Does anyone REALLY believe that the Russians didn’t figure out, when we announced that we were going to ban laptops from more flights coming from Muslim countries, that we didn’t have intelligence about new threats. More importantly, that that intelligence likely came from Israeli spies.

    Boy those Russians must be really toopid!

  20. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 19:04

    Benjamin Cole:

    “Seems to me this would have read, “Sumner is overtly advocating communist-Islamic terrorism!””

    I have yet to see Sumner post one of his “correlation equals causation” charts of Poland’s (and Japan’s for that matter) extremely strict immigration policies, versus the “open borders” European countries, and noticing that there are no terrorist attacks in Poland or Japan, and instead pretend that people who actually want to learn about people before letting them into their own homes is somehow racist and fascist, so yeah, in an unintentional way thank you Benjamin for pointing out that Sumner is also an apologist for Islamic terrorism, lol

    I didn’t say it, you did, cheers!

  21. Gravatar of Patrick R. Sullivan Patrick R. Sullivan
    16. May 2017 at 19:05

    This from the Erick Erickson piece is what I mean by juvenile;

    ‘So some of the sources are left with no other option but to go to the media, leak the story, and hope that the intense blowback gives the President a swift kick in the butt. Perhaps then he will recognize he screwed up.’

    ‘No other option”! Hey, here’s one; make your argument from your place in the administration and see if anyone takes you seriously who’s a grown-up.

    Which doesn’t include the press corps.

  22. Gravatar of Matthew Waters Matthew Waters
    16. May 2017 at 19:42

    MF, that story has been shown to be completely false, with the source retracting it and the Rich family looking at suing him. You’re going to apologize after that story has been entirely retracted, correct?

  23. Gravatar of OMG OMG
    16. May 2017 at 19:45

    To the fault-righters spending hours trolling this blog… just keep telling yourselves that this isn’t the biggest shit show of a presidency in American history already, maybe that will work. If it doesn’t, you could always grab your tiki torches and march around at night fettishing about that great dictator thug from across the pond. He seems like a real nice guy.

  24. Gravatar of Matthew Waters Matthew Waters
    16. May 2017 at 19:54

    Also, Trump asking Comey to drop the investigation in February appears to be an impeachable offense. So there’s that.

    The “smoking gun tape” was Nixon talking about how to thwart the FBI’s investigation. There will be some hackneyed argument from Trumpkins about how it’s really not the same. No, it is pretty much the same. The Russian leak was actually more damaging to the US, but there was probably no impeachment case for it. This is very different.

    I expected either impeachment or a 25th amendment process unlikely, and if they did happen to be a very protracted process. I underestimated how basically unqualified Trump was for the job. He could have made so many other mistakes other than this and not made an impeachable offense.

  25. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:31

    Matthew Waters:

    No, that “story” has not been proven false. You too are falling prey to fake news.

    The source did not retract.

    The Rich “family” position that you are being spoonfed is actually the words of the family “spokesman” who is a DNC operative, a crisis management expert. Look that up. The Rich family was probably strong armed and possibly threatened into going along with what this “spokesman” wants.

    No parent would sue or attack anyone who was trying to get to the bottom of their child’s murder.

    It was Seth Rich’s brother who hired the private investigator.

    You just aren’t doing your homework Mr. Waters. You are listening to fake news.

  26. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:32

    Matthew Waters:

    No, that “story” has not been proven false. You too are falling prey to fake news.

    The source did not retract.

    The Rich “family” position that you are being spoonfed is actually the words of the family “spokesman” who is a DNC operative, a crisis management expert. Look that up. The Rich family was probably strong armed and possibly threatened into going along with what this “spokesman” wants.

    No parent would sue or attack anyone who was trying to get to the bottom of their child’s murder.

    It was Seth Rich’s brother who hired the private investigator.

    You just aren’t doing your homework Mr. Waters. You are listening to fake news.

  27. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:34

    Matthew Waters:

    “Also, Trump asking Comey to drop the investigation in February appears to be an impeachable offense. So there’s that.”

    Where is the evidence of “that”? Let me guess, “US officials”, “state officials”, “sources”?

    Why would Trump ask Comey to drop an investigation 3 days after the FBI already cleared Flynn? There was no investigation to drop.

    You are reading fake news!

  28. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:38

    OMG

    Just keep telling YOURSELF that this isn’t the biggest shitshow of deep state-media collusion in US history.

    If that doesn’t work, maybe another year of 10 hours a day of watching fake news from said deep state media complex might finally convince you otherwise, all the while subconsciously defending and sanctioning criminal families, naked aggression and tyranny.

    Go back to sleep sheep.

  29. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:40

    https://i.redd.it/eel2p535lzxy.jpg

  30. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:47

    Turns out Flynn was already fully cleared of charges a few days before the supposed meeting with the ‘memo’. Meaning that once more something fake was churned out by the CIA/Washington Post without even some basic effort to make the fake news internally consistent.

    Apparently it does not bother the Benjamin Coles or the Scott Freelanders or the Matthew Waters of this blog to see so many latch onto any ‘anonymous unnamed source’ as an excuse to babble about impeachment, seeing as almost DAILY such things are proven false. Is a little critical thinking so much to ask before citing a news organization?

    I mean do you even know how many times the WaPo was caught lying? It is astounding that piece of garbage is cited as credible. I am still laughing at Sumner citing Buzzfeed. Hahahaha, shoot there I go again….hahahaha

  31. Gravatar of ChargerCarl ChargerCarl
    16. May 2017 at 21:48

    It’s fucking pathetic watching MF and Patrick shill for this retard.

  32. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 21:52

    It is hilarious watching you equivocate attacking the deep state with shilling for Trump, ChargerCarl. Hahahah

    You don’t need to believe in fake news and “shill” for the communists to attack Trump.

    This is the sound of dying fake news:

    https://youtu.be/POrOnFTzDu8

    Healthy skepticism is met with heads exploding

  33. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    16. May 2017 at 22:00

    Matthew Waters:

    https://mobile.twitter.com/wikileaks/status/763852003093217280?lang=en

  34. Gravatar of Christian List Christian List
    16. May 2017 at 23:44

    If Trump doesn’t stop this recent negative spiral, he will be gone way sooner then expected.

    I don’t think he can stop it, because that’s just the way he is, and he is not able to change in any relevant way.

    The dementia of Reagan and the anger management of Nixon is not a good mixture. It might have been good during the campaign but actually governing is different.

  35. Gravatar of Christian List Christian List
    17. May 2017 at 02:23

    On the other hand you have guys like McCain who’s saying stuff like this:

    “I’ve known this guy Lavrov for 30 years, he’s an old KGB apparatchik stooge, and Putin is a murderer and a thug. And to have Lavrov in the Oval Office and be friendly with the guy whose boss… sent aircraft with precision weapons to attack hospitals in Aleppo, I just think it’s unacceptable.”

    –> These old people (McCain, Trump, Hillary) should just retire. They are way over their expiration date.

  36. Gravatar of Major-Freedom Major-Freedom
    17. May 2017 at 02:40

    https://mobile.twitter.com/JulianAssange/status/864687052452921344

  37. Gravatar of Major-Freedom Major-Freedom
    17. May 2017 at 02:46

    “Under the law, Comey is required to immediately inform the Department of Justice of any attempt to obstruct justice by any person, even the President of the United States.  Failure to do so would result in criminal charges against Comey.  (18 USC 4 and 28 USC 1361)  He would also, upon sufficient proof, lose his license to practice law.”

    http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/05/16/gregg-jarrett-comeys-revenge-is-gun-without-powder.html

    Haha, the WaPo/NYT fake news story was put together which such sloppiness and desperation that they forgot to consider the timings (FBI cleared Flynn on Jan 24, Trump met with Comey on Jan 27 when the alleged strong arming took place) and they forgot to read the law.

    Even if Comey is telling the truth, which is doubtful given all the evidence, he just implicated himself and admitted he should have been not only fired, but disbarred.

    Oopsy!

  38. Gravatar of Major-Freedom Major-Freedom
    17. May 2017 at 03:01

    Since Liberals project constantly, and since it is always the case that the democratic establishment accuses others of doing precisely what they themselves do, this accusation of obstruction of justice is almost certainly a projection of their own obstruction of justice. We do after all have mountains of evidence of this already.

    It is an Alinsky tactic.

  39. Gravatar of John John
    17. May 2017 at 10:10

    Trump firing Comey is a crime only if he KNEW Comey was going to find something against Flynn/Sessions/himself. If he just didn’t like the idea of his own cabinet being investigated, then surprisingly, this is not a crime (though it might still be an impeachable offense). The second possibility is more probable since Trump is more of a bumbling buffoon than grand conspirator.

    https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-05-17/trump-should-worry-comey-memo-describes-a-high-crime

    Trump’s numerous scandals made me realize just how much our government was ruled by norms rather than laws. Despite all the unethical stuff Trump does, almost none of it is illegal per se, because he is the President. If Hillary Clinton did any of these things, she would go to jail, but Trump is immune from all sorts of laws as POTUS.

  40. Gravatar of Saturos Saturos
    17. May 2017 at 11:31

    we gotta protect our fluids, boys

  41. Gravatar of Matthew Waters Matthew Waters
    17. May 2017 at 12:34

    I’m sorry for ever challenging MF instead of skipping past his posts like I usually do. The story completely fell apart a few hours later, period. Multiple outlets reported Rod Wheeler’s retraction AND the Rich family being very upset. The Rich family has been very upset by their son being used for political gain since day one.

    Do you think all reporters everywhere are in a conspiracy to fabricate Wheeler’s and the Rich family’s comments? That’s what you have to think to still stand behind that story.

    MF, is there ANY line where you will stop supporting Trump? Does it literally take him shooting someone on 5th avenue? Maybe you would just call that fake news.

  42. Gravatar of Bob Murphy Bob Murphy
    17. May 2017 at 18:53

    I’ve been posting links to Dr. Strangelove too, Scott! Great movie showing how dangerous it is when the American security state freaks out over Russia. We need more bloggers reminding us of this great warning, especially these days.

  43. Gravatar of The Original Gordon The Original Gordon
    18. May 2017 at 08:41

    I’ve heard that the slogan of Anarchists for Trump is, “At least he didn’t socialize our money”.

  44. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    18. May 2017 at 20:52

    Matthew Waters:

    “The story completely fell apart a few hours later, period. Multiple outlets reported Rod Wheeler’s retraction AND the Rich family being very upset. The Rich family has been very upset by their son being used for political gain since day one.”

    Can’t blame me for accurately reporting what people have said. When I posted, it was as soon as I found it. If the PI changes his statements, I don’t see how that constitutes a story falling apart. It provides an opportunity to ask more questions. For example, why did he say what he said initially, and if what he said in the past was not the case, then why are we to immediately believe that we he most recently said IS the case? Perhaps, speculating, his family or he was threatened. Many people investigating the Clinton’s have wound up dead you know.

    As for the “family”, the statements from the family are from a DNC operative with ties to the Clintons. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he strong armed the family and is using them for political gain. There is no reason to take what he says at face value.

    “MF, is there ANY line where you will stop supporting Trump?”

    I don’t support Trump. For the millionth time. I attack the deep state propaganda intelligence complex. It just looks like supporting Trump because I refuse to believe in your conspiracy theories that have no evidence. Everything I have claimed has evidence, even the statements from PIs who change their statements.

    Virtually every major “bombshell this is the end of Trump” “breaking” news story has turned out false or debunked. And that pisses me off. I want true information to come out to weaken the Executive branch. But it is always fake, fake, fake. Before, every time I read some new Trump “scandal”, I get my hopes up and read more. Then I found repeatedly, over and over and over and over again, that I and millions of others were lied to. Well, no more. I am done with the MSM. The 2013 legalization of government propaganda, the “anonymous sources” constant bullshit, I am done forever with it. Sick of being lied to. Wikileaks is the only source I actually trust, and that is where I get 90% of everything I call news.

    CNN, NYT, WaPo, NBC, MSNBC, etc, the entire left, and more than half the right, so much lies and corruption. We are fighting an information war, and I am truly thankful that people who know what I know, have the upper hand now. They cannot control the information. .

  45. Gravatar of Major.Freedom Major.Freedom
    18. May 2017 at 21:07

    It is also possible that the PI was advised by the FBI to retract, because they have the emails from Seth Rich to Wikileaks.

    Julian Assange cryptically signaled that Seth Rich was the leaker.

    There is a reason the Comey memo story broke so soon after the Seth Rich story broke. To distract the public.

    Nobody has published any collusion between Russia or any member of the Trump campaign. The whole story is fake news.

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