Staff Reports
It seems that the transition of power in Washington, a process that has been described as “peaceful and orderly,” takes on a whole new meaning when one considers the historical context and recent events. After the 2020 election, officials initiated briefings for the incoming president that date back to the Truman administration in 1952. Yet, one must wonder how much “order” is really taking place behind the scenes when the media has been all too happy to feast on every morsel of drama surrounding former President Trump.
During his time in office, Trump was reportedly “engaged” with intelligence briefings and even asked questions—which is shocking behavior for a man accustomed to a life of luxury rather than a life spent reading snooze-inducing reports. The mainstream media, however, prefers to paint a picture of a president ill-suited for the intricacies of classified information, point fingers at his possession of documents post-presidency, and generally communicate their disdain with a flourish. But let’s remember—many of these same outlets practically drooled over inaccuracies and “anonymous sources” like a kid in a candy store.
One can’t help but chuckle at the irony though; while other politicians hide behind their podiums spouting platitudes, Trump, in his typical fashion, sometimes let his mouth run ahead of the details. The accusation of accidentally disclosing important intelligence details is often trivialized by his opponents who seem to forget the wild mistakes made by other leaders. Somehow, Trump’s usage of a cellphone at a dinner table to discuss a North Korean missile launch is heralded as the end of the world, yet it also provides America with some premium entertainment value—it’s a wonder this storyline hasn’t been adapted into a sitcom.
Trump begins receiving intelligence briefings https://t.co/4INtZJk1Ez
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 20, 2024
On another occasion, while taking to social media to poke fun at Iran’s missteps with their missile program, Trump proclaimed that the U.S. had nothing to do with their “catastrophic accident.” The very notion of a president being able to convey such information publicly, albeit with some humor, leaves critics fuming while supporters admire the audacity. It seems there are two sides to the coin—instead of dwelling on the gravity of classified documents, why not appreciate the unorthodox style that Trump brings?
As the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) continues the tradition of briefings that Biden has taken as his own, one must ponder the authenticity of this “tradition.” After all, what is truly being handed over during these briefings? Are they just passing along the same politically motivated memos they did prior, or is there an actual commitment to transparency? History has shown that sometimes the peaceful transition looks a lot more like political machinations and damage control than a smooth ride into the sunset.
