I wrote this the way I did...not because it's unthinkable...but...because I can't prove it...like I said in the piece. For now... I'm hanging my hat on the part that doesn't require proving it: the WRECKAGE is real...and it outlasts whoever caused it.
You're not wrong. The people who worked behind the scenes are speaking out now because they know the damage that is being done. It's just a matter of how long it takes to fix. At least a generation is my guess.
Unfortunately, you are probably on the right track. I have been worried about this since Jan. 2025 after they dumped a lot of counterintelligence assets. Oh, by the way, Iran has been trying to hack our water supplies. Unmentioned by Trump. Now ponder this: they just started a completely unnecessary war which is turning out badly and has expended an inordinate amount of ordinance that would be needed for a real military emergency. It gets uglier every day and, for the most part, we are helpless to stop it.
Nancy...the expended-ordnance angle is the one I underweighted; precision munitions and interceptors take YEARS to replace...and that's a HARD number...rather than an inference. Filing that away for a follow-up!
I'm not involved with crypto but remember reading the agency overseeing that industry has also been dismantled. When the guardrails have been removed the train can go off the track that much easier.
The pattern generalizes...and...that's worth NAMING: enforcement staff cut...oversight offices consolidated...inspectors general removed.
Same playbook across agencies...with VERY different missions.
I'd be careful attributing it all to ONE motive, though; crypto deregulation has an obvious industry-money explanation...that has nothing to do with foreign policy.
BUT...the guardrails point...Stands. On. It's. Own.
Oh, great, an assignment. What, is it Wednesday or somethin’? 😉
I’m home (with no internet, just a neighbor’s disappearing signal) on my phone while I have lunch. And I’m BUSILY in the middle of quite a project.
You, my friend, don’t sound one bit hysterical. I was more than concerned when I watched all this happen. Because, it is totally more than concerning, especially in our current untenable situation.
Rae...HaHa! Sorry, the assignments are "automatic," I can't turn them off.
Go finish your project. But...when you're back on real internet: NCSC put out an advisory in 2025 about foreign services targeting former federal employees through fake headhunters and consulting firms.
Our OWN counterintelligence people...warning about the pool we created. That one's worth the dig.
Your not wrong, the facts are there. I have been concerned by the dismantling of counterintelligence, Career military personnel, it all weakens our readiness. I don't think it is being hysterical to question why, who benefits. Certainly Russia and China are the ones to gain the most from this. My struggle is outside influence or Trump and Company working things to self serve. Hegseth and his white Christian Nationalist agenda? Russell Voight anther WCN manipulating the situation. Trump trying to gain as much money and power? Whatever the influences are the damage is real and generational to fix
Kristine...that last line is the argument better than I made it.
Foreign influence...ideology... self-dealing...I can't untangle them either...AND...the damage doesn't wait for us to. It's ALREADY priced in...either way.
I am not sure even winning the midterms and the next presidential election can fix any of this. And if we lose the midterms, as a country we are finished. No way out of it except a full on
100% intentional, part of the larger global plan. But not just that.
Every degradation leaves us more vulnerable to an election-cancelling event, wherein the party stays in power and its leaders bunker down. Trump & Co have been inviting this since January 20, 2025. I think it may be why he is not seriously worried about the midterms. The event will happen before the new Congress is seated. So even if they lose 1 or more chambers, nothing changes bc they will lock everything down and insist it’s too risky to change anything.
Every one of your caveats is true at the same time. But also scholars of authoritarianism have been positing that there’s a plan to split up the world among autocrats, specifically Trump, Putin, & Zhi
I knew our Congress was compromised when I watched the Senate Confirmation Hearings. Senators interrogated them, were viscerally disgusted with their incompetence and lack of qualifications. Then they capitulated and voted to confirm. In some cases after receiving a phone call from someone at the White House.
Bless you for having the guts to say it. So many critical functions and personnel and programs have been eliminated or degraded that my guts been telling me *malice* is the elephant in the room.
Unfortunately for the U.S., I do believe you are right on the money. Seeing military heads roll was the first indication. Thank you for clearly spelling it out.
The whole piece makes sense. The brain drain in national security not to mention in the executive agencies is difficult to measure. The destruction of the White House to build a fortress, the destruction of DC landmarks, the attacks on our historical museums and disregard for laws, all add to the pattern. Our American sovereignty is being severely wounded. The backbone of the Constitution is still there but it needs to be evident to the populace and the populace will have to resurrect it.
My info is way old but illustrative of the depth of intel we Used to have. In the 60's my Dad was USAID Dep Dir in Jordan, Afghanistan, Province dir Punjab and E. Pak. Country teams were read in for intel routinely. I thought I just got an esoteric topic for my MA, but had to report to a person in deep cover if I was approached by my Russian Embassy neighbors cross the street in Kabul in any social situation. Afghan territory was one of a handful of places where the Great Game was played daily for real. Couple yrs after the fact I found out my dad drove a Russian defector in the trunk of his personal car through the Khyber Pass [ never physically saw him, plausible deniability blah blah diplomatic passport], dropped him off in Peshawar and went for a stiff drink at the Staff House before thinking about return trip [
at best it's a hell of a trip]. Probably five years later in '70's when he was in DC, he was told about the value of the Intel recd. Still no name, he had been resettled in the US. Point being Every Cabinet Dept had an Intel function and it's not just State or the military that has been decimated, hollowed out. The manipulation the Russians have subjected our amateurs to incl T is so appalling
I have been reading about the gutting in the military and in intelligence and one of the ones I really like is the Steady State made up of more than 400 national security professionals from alll various divisions. I respect their analysis of what they are writing about. Some of it is done as a podcast and the rest is a written post. It has given me a great amount of knowledge over the past months. I believe most of what you have written is truth and that drumpf has been a Russian asset long before he became prez. I believe he is just a puppet for the ones pulling his strings...the heritage foundation, china and russia and there are probably others in there. They all read him for what he is and are able to use him. Even Iran is playing him.
There is no hysteria on any of it on your part. It all makes sense when it’s understood that Trump has been a Russian asset for a long time
Brad...thanks for reading.
I wrote this the way I did...not because it's unthinkable...but...because I can't prove it...like I said in the piece. For now... I'm hanging my hat on the part that doesn't require proving it: the WRECKAGE is real...and it outlasts whoever caused it.
As far as my gut...absolutely.
-Jack
You're not wrong. The people who worked behind the scenes are speaking out now because they know the damage that is being done. It's just a matter of how long it takes to fix. At least a generation is my guess.
A. Hofferkamp...the people speaking out now is the part I keep coming back to.
Career professionals do NOT go public lightly...it costs them clearances...consulting work...and relationships. When they do it ANYWAY...that's data.
Sadly, at least a generation is my guess, too.
Appreciate you being here!
-Jack
Unfortunately, you are probably on the right track. I have been worried about this since Jan. 2025 after they dumped a lot of counterintelligence assets. Oh, by the way, Iran has been trying to hack our water supplies. Unmentioned by Trump. Now ponder this: they just started a completely unnecessary war which is turning out badly and has expended an inordinate amount of ordinance that would be needed for a real military emergency. It gets uglier every day and, for the most part, we are helpless to stop it.
Nancy...the expended-ordnance angle is the one I underweighted; precision munitions and interceptors take YEARS to replace...and that's a HARD number...rather than an inference. Filing that away for a follow-up!
Appreciate the note...truly, Nancy Hoffman.
-Jack
I'm not involved with crypto but remember reading the agency overseeing that industry has also been dismantled. When the guardrails have been removed the train can go off the track that much easier.
The pattern generalizes...and...that's worth NAMING: enforcement staff cut...oversight offices consolidated...inspectors general removed.
Same playbook across agencies...with VERY different missions.
I'd be careful attributing it all to ONE motive, though; crypto deregulation has an obvious industry-money explanation...that has nothing to do with foreign policy.
BUT...the guardrails point...Stands. On. It's. Own.
Thanks for reading!
-Jack
Oh, great, an assignment. What, is it Wednesday or somethin’? 😉
I’m home (with no internet, just a neighbor’s disappearing signal) on my phone while I have lunch. And I’m BUSILY in the middle of quite a project.
You, my friend, don’t sound one bit hysterical. I was more than concerned when I watched all this happen. Because, it is totally more than concerning, especially in our current untenable situation.
I do like finding primary documents, though. . .
Rae...HaHa! Sorry, the assignments are "automatic," I can't turn them off.
Go finish your project. But...when you're back on real internet: NCSC put out an advisory in 2025 about foreign services targeting former federal employees through fake headhunters and consulting firms.
Our OWN counterintelligence people...warning about the pool we created. That one's worth the dig.
No deadline. It's not THAT kind of Wednesday. ;)
-Jack
Your not wrong, the facts are there. I have been concerned by the dismantling of counterintelligence, Career military personnel, it all weakens our readiness. I don't think it is being hysterical to question why, who benefits. Certainly Russia and China are the ones to gain the most from this. My struggle is outside influence or Trump and Company working things to self serve. Hegseth and his white Christian Nationalist agenda? Russell Voight anther WCN manipulating the situation. Trump trying to gain as much money and power? Whatever the influences are the damage is real and generational to fix
Kristine...that last line is the argument better than I made it.
Foreign influence...ideology... self-dealing...I can't untangle them either...AND...the damage doesn't wait for us to. It's ALREADY priced in...either way.
-Jack
Hard, scary read!! I trust you Jack!!!😫😫😫😫😫😫
Liz Borden Vega...thank you. And...I appreciate that!
-Jack
Occam's Razor comes to mind.
Also walking like a duck.
ADNK...Occam's Razor, indeed.
-Jack
I am not sure even winning the midterms and the next presidential election can fix any of this. And if we lose the midterms, as a country we are finished. No way out of it except a full on
Revolution. We are screwed beyond belief.
100% intentional, part of the larger global plan. But not just that.
Every degradation leaves us more vulnerable to an election-cancelling event, wherein the party stays in power and its leaders bunker down. Trump & Co have been inviting this since January 20, 2025. I think it may be why he is not seriously worried about the midterms. The event will happen before the new Congress is seated. So even if they lose 1 or more chambers, nothing changes bc they will lock everything down and insist it’s too risky to change anything.
Every one of your caveats is true at the same time. But also scholars of authoritarianism have been positing that there’s a plan to split up the world among autocrats, specifically Trump, Putin, & Zhi
I knew our Congress was compromised when I watched the Senate Confirmation Hearings. Senators interrogated them, were viscerally disgusted with their incompetence and lack of qualifications. Then they capitulated and voted to confirm. In some cases after receiving a phone call from someone at the White House.
Bless you for having the guts to say it. So many critical functions and personnel and programs have been eliminated or degraded that my guts been telling me *malice* is the elephant in the room.
Ask who benefits? Not just Russia and China.
Failure of Imagination 2.0
Unfortunately for the U.S., I do believe you are right on the money. Seeing military heads roll was the first indication. Thank you for clearly spelling it out.
The whole piece makes sense. The brain drain in national security not to mention in the executive agencies is difficult to measure. The destruction of the White House to build a fortress, the destruction of DC landmarks, the attacks on our historical museums and disregard for laws, all add to the pattern. Our American sovereignty is being severely wounded. The backbone of the Constitution is still there but it needs to be evident to the populace and the populace will have to resurrect it.
My info is way old but illustrative of the depth of intel we Used to have. In the 60's my Dad was USAID Dep Dir in Jordan, Afghanistan, Province dir Punjab and E. Pak. Country teams were read in for intel routinely. I thought I just got an esoteric topic for my MA, but had to report to a person in deep cover if I was approached by my Russian Embassy neighbors cross the street in Kabul in any social situation. Afghan territory was one of a handful of places where the Great Game was played daily for real. Couple yrs after the fact I found out my dad drove a Russian defector in the trunk of his personal car through the Khyber Pass [ never physically saw him, plausible deniability blah blah diplomatic passport], dropped him off in Peshawar and went for a stiff drink at the Staff House before thinking about return trip [
at best it's a hell of a trip]. Probably five years later in '70's when he was in DC, he was told about the value of the Intel recd. Still no name, he had been resettled in the US. Point being Every Cabinet Dept had an Intel function and it's not just State or the military that has been decimated, hollowed out. The manipulation the Russians have subjected our amateurs to incl T is so appalling
Apologies for rewriting comment, thought had lost the whole paragraph.
I have been reading about the gutting in the military and in intelligence and one of the ones I really like is the Steady State made up of more than 400 national security professionals from alll various divisions. I respect their analysis of what they are writing about. Some of it is done as a podcast and the rest is a written post. It has given me a great amount of knowledge over the past months. I believe most of what you have written is truth and that drumpf has been a Russian asset long before he became prez. I believe he is just a puppet for the ones pulling his strings...the heritage foundation, china and russia and there are probably others in there. They all read him for what he is and are able to use him. Even Iran is playing him.
#HOLDFAST
Teri