White House officials interviewed by the Daily Beast reveal a much deeper and widespread level of ‘resistance’ to President Trump’s agenda than previously realized.
The officials were torn as to whether or not an explosive op-ed in the New York Times would be the catalyst for a larger effort to stop the President, or if it will have the opposite effect and galvanize Trump in ousting those disloyal to his administration.
The biggest takeaway from the piece, however, is that the “adults in the room,” as described by the author of the Times column, are nothing more than a bunch of children glorifying their own self-worth.
The report cites “two officials” inside the Justice Department who seem to think their job is to defy the President by “passively resisting” his agenda.
“We see ourselves as rebels,” one official told the Beast, laughing at the notion. They added that the coming out of a “senior official” in the anti-Trump movement was cause for celebration.
Another official claimed celebrations took place after the ‘resistance’ op-ed was published.
“We even went around fist-bumping each other,” suggesting there were far more who viewed the cowardly article as a turning point in their war against Trump.
BREAK: Trump’s internal resistance is literally fist-bumping over that NYT op-ed.
Money quote: ‘We see ourselves as rebels.’https://t.co/b0OZZzaSjx
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) September 6, 2018
A third official who spoke to the Daily Beast was concerned that President Trump would respond to the column by purging his administration of those alleged “adults in the room.”
One can only hope.
“It could motivate Trump to pursue the Erdogan-style purge of the bureaucracy that he hasn’t pursued yet,” said a trial attorney for the Justice Department.
“Some of the Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys are serious people committed to law enforcement,” they added. “What if Trump were to replace them with loyalist hacks from the campaign … ?”
Analyzing who may be the author of the Times op-ed has consumed the White House since it was published on Wednesday. Aides have whittled the list down to a virtual ‘dirty dozen‘ officials who may have been responsible.
In reality, however, it could be anyone employed in the vicinity of the White House. As noted here, the Times has propped up anonymous sources in the past as being experts about any given subject, only to later have it revealed to be nothing more than an intern behind their reports.
When will we learn who these anonymous officials are? Those who fistbump to celebrate their opposition to the administration they work for, or who view themselves as rebels subverting a man elected by the people?
When they “publicly resign, en masse,” a State Department official said.
“If there are senior people in leadership positions and these are their observations and feelings, then their efforts can’t just stop at the op-ed or move to mitigate the president here and there,” they claimed. “They need to take steps that are more bold.”
Bold steps aren’t likely from a coward hiding behind his computer screen. Bold steps will be necessary for President Trump and his trusted aides to rid the White House of these deep state ‘rebels.’
It’s time to drain that swamp, Mr. President.
