Impunity

In a week when an FBI operative was fired for derogatory comments on then-candidate Donald Trump, the man who once had the highest security clearance in the land has lost this privilege in retirement. Former CIA Director John Brennan lost a clearance status shared by over a million Americans this week, most likely for criticizing President Trump.

In a tweet this week, Mr. Brennan criticized Mr. Trump for the language that the president used to attack Omarosa Manigault Newman, his former top aide, who he called a “dog.”

Mr. Brennan wrote, “It’s astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation.” (New York Times, August 15, 2018)

The White House has listed half a dozen former members of the Trump administration as candidates for stripping of security privileges for public criticism of the President. Each one had been appointed to federal positions by the President before resigning,  presumably under pressure.

The overwhelming  message is that the President does not suffer criticism without retaliation, not merely counter-tweeting, but by direct attack on public figures who have left the administration, an attack to undermine their ability to speak authoritatively on important policy issues.

In recent administrations Presidents have been vulnerable to second-guessing and thoughtful criticisms by resigning officials and advisors, but rarely have Presidents retaliated more than defending their own records and denying allegations. Presidents know that second-guessing comes with the office and have always respected free speech.

This President takes criticism personally and regards free speech as an abused privilege in public discourse. He has spoken often about expanding libel laws to give victims more legal leverage against brazen critics. In the private sector the threat of a lawsuit has sometimes, but not always, been enough to silence those offended by power-brokers, using  the news media to plead their case. In the public sector such criticism is usually regarded as the expected consequence of holding public office.

President Trump is not so magnanimous. He follows his critics right out the door and takes their back lash personally. It was his denigration of  former White House advisor Omarosa Manigault Newman as a “dog,” that drew John Brennan’s attention when he tweeted: “Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person.”  To make Brennan’s point President Trump revoked his security clearance– the closest weapon at hand.

This sensitivity and vindictiveness toward criticism could be the President’s most serious character flaw. A man who refuses to listen and in fact retaliates against his critics, is a man of stunted growth. Donald Trump has used his wealth and power to silence his detractors and thoughtful critics, as a matter of course. He is more concerned with protecting his ego than guarding his reputation.  It is clear from constant stream of trusted officials abandoning his foundering vessel and his parting shots as they jump free of the ship.

President Trump will be remembered as one who governed with impunity, not that he escaped all accusations, but that he governed autocratically, expecting no opposition.  Whether he escapes accusations remains to be seen.

 

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