Assume the worst

It’s time to stop pretending. Donald Trump isn't just a political aberration. He’s a clear and present danger to the security of the United States, and we must operate under the assumption that he's handed over the crown jewels of America’s intelligence to Vladimir Putin.

This isn’t some wild conspiracy theory. This is a strategic reality we must face now, because the consequences of doing nothing are catastrophic.

Let’s look at the facts—the real ones, not the alternative ones. The Felon-In-Chief has had numerous private conversations with Putin—no American officials or recorders present. He’s publicly sided with Putin over his own intelligence agencies. He’s shared classified information with foreign adversaries in the Oval Office. He’s degraded our global alliances, gutted key agencies and treated national security as if it were a game for his own benefit.

If this were happening in any other country, we wouldn’t hesitate to call it what it looks like: a national betrayal.

We have to assume Russia knows everything. Our military contingencies. Our infrastructure vulnerabilities. Our intelligence assets. Our cyber defenses. All of it. If we operate under any lesser assumption, we are inviting disaster.

We must overhaul our entire approach to defense and intelligence, not because our systems failed, but because the tiny-handed man entrusted to protect them quite possibly turned them over to a hostile autocrat.

Whether for personal gain, blackmail, or delusional admiration, the result is the same: Putin, a ruthless strategist, most likely knows more about our playbook than Congress does.

Enough talk. Enough op-eds. Enough political cowardice. Every single member of tRump’s former Cabinet who saw what happened behind closed doors has a moral obligation to speak out. Not tomorrow. Not in a memoir. Now.

The U.S. Senate needs to do something they needed to do a long time ago: grow a spine. Stop hiding blindly behind partisanship while a foreign dictator plays chess with our national defense. Invoke the 14th Amendment. Support criminal investigations. Shut down any attempt to let this president increase his power.

This is not just a crisis of intelligence. It’s a collapse of courage.

History is watching. The world is watching. And if we don’t act decisively to hold Donald Trump accountable and rebuild the security he's compromised, we will lose far more than elections. We will lose the trust, strength, and sovereignty that define the United States.

Stop the presses

You may have noticed since the unstable genius and his brown-nosing, boot-licking, ass-kissing, Russian-owned, democracy-hating, riot-inciting, fact-denying, fear-mongering minions have left the building—despite the physical and mental wreckage they left in their wake—a quiet sense of calm and professionalism is permeating the country.

As of January 20th, most people aren’t worried about Biden hitting the nuclear button because he didn’t like a tweet. Or firing someone because they didn’t kiss the ring. No one’s worried he’ll want to have a military parade to compensate for his little…hands. And there’s now absolutely zero chance of Ted Nugent, Kid Rock or known Russian spies ever being invited to the White House. Or what I like to call a win-win-win situation.

What there is however is a definite confidence that, finally, the adults are in charge.

Perhaps nowhere in the administration, besides the Oval office, is this change in attitude more acutely felt than in the White House press briefing room.

Since Jen Psaki has been named WH Press Secretary, the daily briefings—the back and forth, the Q&A—has been something it hasn’t been in four years: civil. Now that we're past the less-than-peaceful transition, the press are welcome to ask anything they want. Psaki answers all questions as best she can, and when she doesn’t have an answer she either gets back to the reporter or refers them to someone who does.

It doesn’t come as any surprise she takes her job seriously and handles it as well as she does. Psaki was the traveling press secretary for Obama during the 2008 and 2012 campaigns, and after he won was Deputy Press Secretary, then Deputy Communications Director. She was also spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.

Psaki and the Biden administration seem to understand the role of a free press as watchdog and eyes of the American people into what their leaders are doing or not doing.

You don’t see Jen Psaki screaming fake news every time a reporter asks a question she or her boss doesn’t’ like. She doesn’t get into screaming matches with reporters. She doesn’t insult them like they’re on the playground. She has a clear understanding of her role in the administration, her responsibilities to the American people and a healthy respect for the history of the position she holds.

We all know there's been a string of unqualified, hostile Trump cronies with none of those qualities that held the job before her. I’m not naming names *cough* McEnany *cough*, *cough* Huckabee *cough*, *cough* Spicer *cough*.

Even though reporters aren't supposed to reveal their sources, you can feel the vibe in the press room: they're all happy to say they heard it from Jen Psaki.

Next question.