The White House sent out top advisers Monday night to say the Washington Post story reporting that Donald Trump had given classified information to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador was “false,” though those denials avoided the specific charges the report made, instead denying that Trump had done something that hadn’t been reported. And in doing so, they managed to highlight just how little credibility Donald Trump’s regime has.
Saying “the story is false because Trump did not do [specific thing the story didn’t allege],” as national security adviser H.R. McMaster insisted, constituted an obvious non-denial denial, even before Trump predictably went on Twitter to say hell yes he gave classified information to the Russians. And even before those tweets from Trump, reports on McMaster’s statement, along with those of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and deputy national security adviser Dina Powell, were appropriately skeptical. Because they work for Donald Trump and that means everyone knows they will lie.
News outlets — including The New York Times and Reuters — confirmed the story reported by The Washington Post and published anyway, seemingly unconcerned about the denials, which came from two officials who have been respected in Washington for decades. The episode underscored Trump's challenge after months of misstatements over far less consequential matters.
“Their credibility is completely shattered. They’ve engaged in serial lying to the American people on issues big and small — beginning with the crowd size photos. It’s unprecedented for an administration, from the top on down, to embrace a strategy of deception and lying,” said Steve Schmidt, a Republican consultant and former campaign manager for John McCain.
That was Politico’s Monday night report on “Trump’s trust problem.” Then, hours, later, Trump went on Twitter to confirm that he had given classified information to Russia, in the process confirming that he had sent his top advisers out to lie, and dealing one more blow to the credibility and reputations of everyone working for him. Not that that will stop him from having a temper tantrum about the negative coverage that results.
Everyone who keeps working for Trump is knowingly setting their own reputation on fire. And they keep doing it, scandal after scandal.