Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss a striking new whistleblower complaint about US intelligence under Trump from DHS official Brian Murphy. They run through a series of examples of twisting intelligence, including at least one potentially criminal offense, on topics ranging from immigration to Russian election interference to white nationalist terrorism — and zoom out to discuss how credible these complaints are and why, if true, they paint such a damning picture of US foreign policy under Trump.

References:

Here is the whistleblower complaint.

Jenn referenced a Center for Public Integrity report on Guatemala.

She also mentioned that former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, accused of perjury in the whistleblower complaint, lied about the administration’s family separation policy before. 

Alex wrote on the US intelligence community’s findings in 2019 that contradict Trump’s worldview.

Zack referenced how some top Department of Homeland Security officials mentioned in the whistleblower complaint are in their roles illegally.

This is the statement by top US intelligence official Bill Evanina on election interference, which mentions China’s efforts before Russia’s.

Zack has a great Vox explainer on what antifa actually is, and isn’t.

Alex reported the comments from the senior White House official implicating National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien on Twitter.

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), national security reporter, Vox

 

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