Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Washington Post reports:
The whistleblower complaint that has triggered a tense showdown between the U.S. intelligence community and Congress involves President Trump’s communications with a foreign leader, according to two former U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
Trump’s interaction with the foreign leader included a “promise” that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, said the former officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
It was not immediately clear which foreign leader Trump was speaking with or what he pledged to deliver, but his direct involvement in the matter has not been previously disclosed. It raises new questions about the president’s handling of sensitive information and may further strain his relationship with U.S. spy agencies.
Five WaPo by line reporters on this story. A MAJOR leak to the WaPo. This feels potentially very big. The Machiavellian Mr. Barr is protecting Trump from a whistleblower complaint, it’s unprecedented. This may take Impeachment in a totally new direction. https://t.co/F4hf1PxFKX
— John Dean (@JohnWDean) September 19, 2019
7/28: Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence—one of the few grown-ups left in the Trump universe—announces he is resigning soon.
7/31: As wildfires rage in CA, Trump calls Putin to, we’re told, offer help with the wildfires in Russia.
— Greg Olear (@gregolear) September 19, 2019
8/2: For no apparent reason, the US pulls out of INF Treaty, because what could be better than allowing Putin to use intermediate-range nuclear missiles?
8/6: Jon Huntsman, the US ambassador to Russia and not an obvious Trump loyalist, resigns.
— Greg Olear (@gregolear) September 19, 2019
8/8: Coats advises Sue Gordon, who would replace him as DNI, to follow him out the door.
8/12: The #Whistleblower complaint is filed.
8/15: Coats steps down as DNI. Sue Gordon also resigns.
— Greg Olear (@gregolear) September 19, 2019
8/16: Joseph MAGAuire takes over as Acting Director of National Intelligence, attempts to hold on to the hot-potato whistleblower complaint, in brazen defiance of the law that he turn over report to Schiff/House Intelligence.
— Greg Olear (@gregolear) September 19, 2019
9/10: John Bolton, the national security adviser who was at odds with Trump, likely for not kissing the ring on Trump’s puny finger, resigns/was fired/leaves.
9/13: After the whistleblower story breaks, Schiff issues a subpoena to MAGAuire.
— Greg Olear (@gregolear) September 19, 2019
Trump publicly said he’d assure Kim he’d never have recruited Kim’s half-brother the way Obama did. Just imagine what T’d have promised Kim (or Putin) privately! Congress MUST learn the details of T’s betrayal. @SpeakerPelosi must unleash @RepJerryNadler https://t.co/1ucj37QioZ
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) September 19, 2019
To be clear, I have no idea what’s in the whistleblowers complaint. Spitballing:
Trump/Putin talk July 31.
Coats/Gordon announce their retirement by August 8. The whistleblower complaint was filed August 12.
August 23, Trump goes to G7 and lobbies extensively for Putin.
— Angry Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) September 19, 2019
“This is grievous. This is truly a very serious breach, whatever it is,” says Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier on a report that Pres. Trump’s communications with a foreign leader sparked a whistleblower complaint. https://t.co/hFn3iLWWOt pic.twitter.com/1iVIuHpJFe
— CNN (@CNN) September 19, 2019
Confirmed by @ZcohenCNN: “A communication between President Donald Trump and a world leader prompted the whistleblower complaint that is now at the center of the dispute between the director of national intelligence and Congress, a source familiar with the case told CNN.”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 19, 2019
Most telling indicator that the intelligence community whistleblower story is incredibly important & dangerous for Trump is the fact that he hasn’t tweeted about it yet.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) September 19, 2019