Maybe it’s time to tap the president-elect’s phone and record his calls. Donald Trump often comes to much different conclusions than his interlocutors. As a modest proposal, some reference material might be nice after the fact.
Trump’s call with Director of National Intelligence Director James Clapper provides a perfect case in point. The two chatted Wednesday about an unsubstantiated report that Russia had damning information about Trump.
By Thursday morning, though, it’s become clear that they’ve reached different conclusions.
Trump’s tweet suggests that the top spook and president-elect couldn’t agree more. “James Clapper called me yesterday to denounce the false and fictitious report that was illegally circulated,” Trump tweeted. “Made up, phony facts. Too bad!” Those 140 characters seem to provide the final nails in the coffin of the report.
James Clapper called me yesterday to denounce the false and fictitious report that was illegally circulated. Made up, phony facts.Too bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2017
That statement makes CNN’s reporting of the documents mere existence seem irresponsible if not libelous. If the intel is demonstrably false and of no consequence, there’s little excuse for pricking the public’s imagination. But Clapper didn’t deny the validity of the report at all.
Instead the director of national intelligence made two things clear in his statement. First, the U.S. intelligence community “has not made any judgement” about the content of the memos. Second, that passing along information to policymakers was “part of our obligation” to make sure that the president has “the fullest picture of any matters that might affect national security.”
DNI Clapper Statement on Conversation with President-elect Trump: https://t.co/dMWwKdOnii pic.twitter.com/6REbBihoLf
— Office of the DNI (@ODNIgov) January 12, 2017
Far from condemning CNN, the Clapper statement indicates that the damning document is not fake news. It might be false intelligence designed to defame the president-elect. But its existence is important to national security, and therefore, inherently noteworthy to news organizations.
Presented with both statements, Republicans and Democrats must decide which to believe. No one can tell what was said during the conversation. It’s Trump’s tweet against Clapper’s statement, and we’re nowhere closer to the truth.
Maybe someone should’ve listened on a third line and taken notes.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
