Donald Trump has shown time and time again that he has a soft spot for dictators. And the president went full Trumpillo this morning, seemingly threatening that the whistleblower who filed a complaint against him should be executed. At a private breakfast in New York, Trump likened the filing of a just released complaint to treason.
“I want to know who’s the person, who’s the person who gave the whistleblower the information? Because that’s close to a spy,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart? Right? The spies and treason, we used to handle it a little differently than we do now.”
He seemed to suggest that a third party, who gave the information to the person who filed the complaint was a spy. And for once, it seems he was close to the truth. While no third person has come forward, the New York Times has identified the whistleblower as someone in the spy business: a CIA analyst with an expertise in Ukraine.
Breaking News: The whistle-blower is said to be a CIA officer who was assigned to work at the White House. His complaint suggests he is a trained analyst. https://t.co/wA0GOwwiWX — The New York Times (@nytimes) September 26, 2019
Trump's threat to people who would share when he was doing wrong did not sit well even among conservatives. Whether they are reacting to Trump's words or merely reading the tea leaves as the impeachment push becomes real is up for debate. Either way, they spoke out about it on Trump's favorite platform the prospect of the death penalty for putting the country over despotism. Tweets suggest he must be impeached and removed.
Trump just threatened the whistleblower -- and actually all patriots -- with the— John Weaver (@jwgop) September 26, 2019
As with Trump’s attacks on the press, his covering for MBS with Khashoggi, his personal corruption, and his attempts to subvert rule of law, his hint of executing a whistleblower will give authoritarian regimes the green light to follow suit, so long as they call them “spies.” — Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) September 26, 2019
Trunp doesn't say that he didn't do it.
Trump says the people who caught him should he executed. — Jesse Ferguson (@JesseFFerguson) September 26, 2019
Elsewhere at the event, Trump continued his lugenpresse schtick, calling reporters "scum."
“You know, these animals in the press. They’re animals, some of the worst human beings you’ll ever meet,” he said. “Many of them are scum, and then you have some good reporters, but not many of them, I’ll be honest with you.”
EntropyFighter on September 26th, 2019 at 20:26 UTC »
People here are focused on the language indicating he thinks the person/people that talked to the whistleblower should be executed but I think the bigger story is that by calling them "closer to a spy" he's corroborating their account.
aFamiliarStranger on September 26th, 2019 at 20:26 UTC »
Breaking: Man in legal troubles for spying on political opponents, wants to execute spies.
pissedoffnobody on September 26th, 2019 at 20:23 UTC »
... so what the fuck does he think giving away a CIA asset's details while active in Russia count as? He's the one giving away state secrets and compromising missions!