A powerful cell is operating : The Leak To The Atlantic Was No Accident. Deep Throat 2.0 Exists

[NJCher]

Terrence Goggin
Mar 26, 2025
snip

THE BEFUDDLED TRUMP TEAM HAVEN’T READ “ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN”. THEY SHOULD DO SO NOW.

The new “President’s Men” have been deeply penetrated. The Trump team has been exposed as profoundly; stupidly; arrogant. And that goes for everyone involved on their side of the table. Politics is like Showbiz, you can’t fake talent or basic competence. And you cannot hide a lack of brains.


The significance of a highly effective cell operating deep in the Pentagon and National Security Council, cannot be overestimated. It’s the time tested clandestine “art of the leak” to disrupt, humiliate and expose an opponent’s mistakes, to reduce or eliminate their power. I’ve been on both sides of this technique. I know it when I see it. The first leaker alerted the New York Times to the fact that a civilian, without security clearances or a need to know, was being “read in”on top secret plans to defend Taiwan. The second leak was to the Atlantic by “someone” who added the Editor of the Atlantic, using his private cell number on Signal, to the text thread of a meeting, reportedly, at the Palm Steakhouse steps from the White House, in a private dining room, in Washington. No Navy hamburgers and fries in the White House Mess near the secure Situation Room in the basement for these guys. Absolutely not. The Signal text thread just happened to be, as luck would have it, of the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense and other officials discussing and approving exact times and places of missile attacks on the Houthis leadership in Yemen. Neither could have happened without a clandestine operation informing and manipulating the media. The repercussions are being felt at this very moment in the Oval Office where it’s all being called a WITCH HUNT !

Three factors are at play here.

First: The exposure of the meetings were not a happy coincidences, the result of a bumbling Secretary of Defense, it was by design. The media became aware of sensitive information by execution of a deliberate plan, not by chance.

snip

https://thewestpointhistoryprofessor.substack.com/p/a-powerful-cell-is-operating-the

[SheltieLover]

1. Kick

[HAB911]

2. OH in my wettest of dreams!

[yardwork]

3. I hope this is true.

I've wondered why the editor of The Atlantic was the one inadvertently added to the Houthi attack plan text. Seemed almost unbelievably convenient. Maybe it was.

[Amaryllis]

32. I thought the same. A highly credible responsible journalist. Would have been a very different story had it been

say a Fox reporter.

[yardwork]

38. Most reporters wouldn't have had the clout to publish it.

Their editors would have nixed the story. Independent journalists wouldn't have been believed. Fox and other right wing publications would have hidden the story.

This author has a point.

[NotHardly]

59. My thoughts exactly when it first came out.

[ZDU]

4. Direct Hit

Check.

[NJCher]

5. United States Military Academy West Point

also former Harvard prof.

[Celerity]

13. But he also is a federally convicted fraudster/money launderer who did prison time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Goggin#Coffee_Business_and_Criminal_Charges

In November 2018, a federal grand jury in Oakland, California indicted Goggin for allegedly defrauding investors in a chain of Peet's Coffee stands inside BART stations and using the funds for personal expenses. He was charged with four counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money-laundering. Goggin pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering in December 2019, admitting that he had "falsely told investors that their money would go toward the Peet's Coffee projects but specifically planned to use the funds for other purposes." He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay $685,000 in restitution for his victims by Judge James Donato of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

[NJCher]

22. good to know

thanks for the link.

[Celerity]

23. yw

[Ocelot II]

81. That's interesting to know - but the fact that he's a crook doesn't mean he's wrong

about this stuff. Sometimes it takes one to know one.

[ReRe]

98. So, is this a nothing burger?

After reading your wikipedia.org info on Goggin, I understand better the noticable fishing for subscribers at the end of his article. Dayam. Just when you think you've learned something, you learn about the rotten character of the messenger.

[Celerity]

100. faces up as grifting, especially the price increase

https://thewestpointhistoryprofessor.substack.com/p/a-powerful-cell-is-operating-the

To business. Out of 3,834 subscribers 246 are paid and many are upgrading from free. I am truly grateful for this stunning response to my pitch:

Consider purchasing a subscription to reward what you enjoy, hard hitting analysis, based on facts, that uncover the truth. And I love doing it.

snip

Pricing

I’ve raised my prices from discounted “introductory pricing” to a bit more. I hope I have achieved a level of interest that deserves a bit of a reward. It’s now $6 for a monthly subscription, $55 for a yearly subscription and $75 for a founding subscription entitling the subscriber to a beautiful West Point, Black Knight, lapel pin, the logo of the West Point athletic teams and the logo of this Seminar.

[chia]

105. Grifting? Looks like a common substack subscription pitch, on its face. But I don't know the guy.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

132. Looks like substack to me too.

[progressoid]

142. Ugh.

Seems a little griftyish to me.

Is that a word? Griftyish?

[MorbidButterflyTat]

133. Who provides info to Wikipedia? "Anyone can edit"

And, there's a convicted felon currently polluting the White House.

What about this particular article is inaccurate?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

145. You reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of how Wikipedia works and how to use it. . . . nt

[Nittersing]

6. I REALLY want to believe something like this is going on.

It gives me a glimmer or hope.

[Wild blueberry]

7. Whole article is fascinating, and plausible

Thank you.

[Tetrachloride]

8. One cell is not enough. That is the information cell.

Nice start. What's next

[NJCher]

24. It's either this article

or another I recently read that discusses the various types of cells. I hope I can find it--was quite interesting.

Anyone else know what I'm talking about. It was probably posted here.

But yes, there are different types of cells and knowing this, it would be quite interesting to guess where others might be.

[Tetrachloride]

111. looking forward to seeing

[SilasSouleII]

129. The Deep State

n/t

[birdographer]

9. Very interesting, but

is the whole point of this insider’s actions to make them all look stupid and inept? To what end? We already know that donny is a moron, and we are figuring out that the rest of his regime are the same. I am not sure how further confirmation of this will change anything. It’s not like donny is going to fire any of them for their incompetence. I’m confused about how this will help.

[NJCher]

17. your question

is the whole point of this insider’s actions to make them all look stupid and inept?

The point of their being there is to protect national security. If a leak is the best way to avert that, that is what they will do. If something else is more effective, they will take that route.

[ButchMcMuffin]

72. It is more than protecting national security

It's to expose that the Dumpy administration is using back door channels to communicate with each other. Thus, hiding what they are doing. It doesn't get recorded. It doesn't get sent to the National Archives. We will not know what they've done until it's too late

[et tu]

86. and how many

back doors will the sa birdbrain child
put into social security???? so wrong














/

[EdmondDantes_]

10. I'm skeptical of some of this

We know Waltz added Goldberg to the Signal chat don't we?

If the leak was intended to be secret why not send a screenshot taken to not reveal who sent it?

Not that I doubt most government workers do value the government and rule of law, but we are definitely benefitting from the general incompetence of the Trump crowd.

[Amaryllis]

35. Do we even know for sure it was Waltz who added Goldberg? He has no recollection of so doing. They all seemed to be

mystified how he got on the list.

[SheltieLover]

43. Yet, he said he would take full responsibility

[Shipwack]

77. Yes, Waltz invited him. There's a screenshot.

Post by @law_teacher73

View on Threads

/media

Now, I suppose that it's possible that Goldberg was invited by an assistant using Waltz's account, but that is not an excuse I've heard Waltz use (though apologists have).

[Ocelot II]

79. But who gave Waltz Goldberg's private cell number in the first place?

[Shipwack]

84. That is a very interesting question...

If I was a reporter I'd ask Trump if Goldberg was in his address book because Waltz was a leaker.... Just to mess with his orange head.

I doubt that's true, as fun as the idea is. The best theory I've heard is that Goldberg's initials (JG) are the same as an assistant government officis (I forget which one). Perhaps Waltz or a flunky was doing a search of the Signal userbase, saw the initials (and maybe some other common trait), and added Goldberg by (a sloppy) mistake.

Or maybe Signal has an algorithm that suggests friends to add, and he was added to the addressbook that way. I don't use Signal so I don't know for as sure.

[Ocelot II]

85. But even if they were looking for a different JG, a DoD employee whose number

would have been in the agency's directory, how did they end up with Goldberg's private number instead?

[Shipwack]

92. I meant using the search function in signal, not an official government directory.

No matter how it happened, though, it was unacceptably sloppy on several levels. Besides, if they had just used a secure, governmentally approved method in the first place, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Lucky(?) for us, they are more concerned about not leaving behind anything that can be used as evidence in the future... Even a legal (though immoral*) air/missile attack.

*I appreciate that there might be some gray area here, and even an argument that sometimes rough things must be done by rough men. For me personally, though, the plan to kill a high ranking enemy by destroying an apartment building full of civilians is unacceptable.

[summer_in_TX]

139. Goldberg implied he was trying to interview Waltz about something else.

I'd deduce he may have reached out to someone about the topic who acted as an intermediary. But that's speculation on my part.

[SARose]

87. Goldberg said this morning

He and Waltz know each other and Waltz has his number.

Very frequently in journalism, the most obvious explanation is the explanation: My phone number was in his phone because my phone number is in his phone," Goldberg continued. "He's telling everyone that he's never met me or spoken to me. That's simply not true."

More

[Ocelot II]

93. That's interesting - not that Goldberg and Waltz had met, which isn't surprising

considering that as a journalist Goldberg is very connected and Waltz worked in the Bush admin and was in Congress for quite awhile - but that Waltz is now claiming he never met Goldberg!

[SARose]

99. I hate to be a pessimist

But you can’t believe a word from most of the people in Trump’s orbit.

[AncientOfDays]

102. Photos

Photos of Waltz and Goldberg together at a conference have surfaced.

[orchidlady]

116. i suspect...

he may have had it. so many Rs just love the media attention. goldberg is pretty conservative at heart, so i was never surprised about that part. ID by initials, they're using that as the excuse for the screw up. JG, anyone? regardless, no one was paying attention or checking the actual peeps and their status for being there. like the guy says, it does seem designed to expose the glaring incompetence.

[Ocelot II]

117. You might be thinking of Jonah Goldberg; Jeffrey is a liberal,

got the Atlantic to endorse Hillary in 2016.

[pat_k]

101. Could someone in Waltz orbit have simply picked up his phone?

It doesn't seem that these guys give a crap about any sort of security. And I haven't heard whether this was a signal chat on a government device (DOD has reportedly deployed Signal on government devices overriding their own policy) or a private phone. That information may be out there, but I haven't had time to follow closely enough.

Anyway, whether a private or government secured phone, I can imagine these idiots leaving their phones lying around without a screen lock timeout.

[Shipwack]

137. Yes, that definitely is a possibility.

It doesn't sound likely, but it's no worse than any other theory.

It raises even more questions, such as why that person entered the number in the contact list... This whole incident is crazy making...

[Susan Calvin]

11. That's what I've been wondering. nt

[peggysue2]

12. This explanation is heartening

I was wondering how long the highly skilled and competent men and women at the Pentagon would sit back and watch the Flying Monkey Brigade torch the Constitution and 250 years of history.

If accurate? I salute them and their dedicated mission.

[AllaN01Bear]

14. reference to deep throat is a reference to the water gate scandel where operatives broke into democratic headquartes @

the time (watergate hotel)


article at wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Throat_(Watergate)
hem. shenanigins yet again , eh.

[ButchMcMuffin]

60. Yes Yes Yes...We all know

That is what the OP was referring.

We also know that it was Forrest Gump who called in the break-in.

[democrank]

15. Interesting....thank you

I so hope there are behind the scenes patriots working on something.

[Prairie Gates]

16. Fanciful and speculative

[NJCher]

21. Let's see you come up with a better explanation

Remember, you'll have to consult someone with high level military experience and with Harvard educational qualifications.

Have at it. I'm waiting. Tap, tap, tap.

[Prairie Gates]

26. The simplest explanation is far, far better: the Trumpies are idiots

They are fundamentally careless and overconfident people who constantly do stupid things. We know from the first admin that they use non-approved apps to skirt records rules. You don't need a massive infrastructure to explain their stupidity, carelessness, and overconfidence. It is their default mode.

Wasn't your guy convicted of fraud, by the way?

[NJCher]

36. yes that's true

they are fundamentally careless and overconfident, and that is probably why the cell is there in the first place.

Chicken or the egg. Have at it.

I didn't know Goggins was convicted of fraud, but it wouldn't have stopped me from publishing this article because, having been on the inside of many a criminal trial, I know how the law works. In the 20 years that I've worked with a legal nonprofit, I've seen many people plead guilty simply because they couldn't afford years of litigation with the government, for example. So consequently my views are a bit more nuanced than most.

Regardless of this, you have to look at his arguments and deduce from them. That's why most of the time, a court of law will not let you come in and say, "this defendant did this," or "this defendant did that." It has to be decided n the facts at hand.

That is what you are attempting to do: you appear to be trying to say that because Goggins was convicted of a crime, his other arguments aren't any good. Doesn't fly with the more educated people.

[Prairie Gates]

40. His argument seeks to associate two things with only the slightest connection

1) The leak to the NY Times about the Musk briefing on Taiwan
2) The addition of Goldberg to the group chat

He provides no evidence that these are linked at all.

Anyway, you used his background as some kind of argumentative trump card, like i can only respond if I find someone who was a West Point prof with government experience for the counterargument. I just showed his background is multifaceted and supports both your position and the possibility that he's grifting: maybe find somebody who hasn't tried to defraud people to support your case. Tap tap tap, right?

[NJCher]

41. show me the pattern of grifting

and I might go along with you.

However, he has a pattern of academic excellence, although I spotted a few missing possessive marks in his text.

In the world of English academic writing, we have a thing we call "development." He developed the points about the NYTimes and the Atlantic quite deftly, so I can't consider your point a winner.

[Prairie Gates]

49. Yeah, I'm a "defraud me once" kind of guy

In any case, the charges that were filed against him (and to which he pleaded guilty) involved fraud over an extended period.

As for English academic writing, as far as I know, even most first-year composition classes are still based in rhetorical principles of evidence. Development is an empty phrase if it is not rooted in - what is it y'all call it - logos? He provides no substantial evidence to connect the two. And, indeed, the principles of English academic writing would suggest that he provide some sort of refutatio, or at least handle some opposing arguments. In the case of the very loose connection between the Musk briefing leak and the Signal chat screw-up, I would advise our proverbial first-year writing student to handle the possible counterargument that these two instances share almost nothing in common, one being a traditional leak while the other would be - if he is to be believed - some intricate technological hack. Is this not a difference in kind that a responsible professor of history would have to explain? Apologies to our esteemed colleague, but I would have to say this effort earned him only a B+ in ENG100: Rhetoric and Composition. But don't worry! In the great tradition of process pedagogy, we will give him an opportunity to revise for a better grade.

[NJCher]

57. all legal

actions take years, or almost all, unless you get a summary judgment or something in that category.

I had cases in my nonprofit that had been in court 8+ years!! Puh-leeeze. I got a simple ordinance through the town council in a Northern NJ town and it took me six years! And then it went to a referendum. Whether a legal action is drawn out is no measure of the merits of the case and if you learned nothing else from Donald Trump, you should have learned that.

Re development, I'm speaking of taking the reader through your train of thought. The stuff you looked up on Wikipedia or recalled from your first-year writing course is nice 'n all, but isn't what writing professors actually do when they discuss development.

I'd give you a lesson in it but I get paid for that kind of work.

[Prairie Gates]

61. LOL

Right! When writing professors discuss development, they still discuss evidence. You keep trying to trump for expertise, but it's not working. In any case, I'd wager that I know just as much about writing pedagogy as you do, if not more. You ran into it this time.

[NJCher]

63. I'm not going to discuss

credentials here. I really dislike it when people haul out their degrees as if they know more than someone else, like what you're doing.

I don't need to resort to that. If you think you have superior knowledge, go right ahead and say it and think it.

[Prairie Gates]

64. It's literally what you're doing

I'm just responding to your attempts to win arguments through gnostic references. You're the one who 1) brought up English academic writing as some mysterious thing I couldn't possibly understand, and then 2) belittled my understanding of English academic writing as something I just looked up on Wikipedia or something I faintly remembered from first-year writing. I never belittled your knowledge in this whole conversation. Like I said, this time you ran into it.

Have a nice afternoon.

[NJCher]

66. the word

"literally" is overused.



and trite, too.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

148. Prairie Gates is using the word "literally" correctly but attacking the word is all you are reduced to

They are using "literally" to mean "actually", the opposite of "figuratively".

Just because it is trendy and overused and often misused has nothing to do with his use of it. You made a logically fallacious argument: guilt by association. You are failing to knock down Prairie Gates' point so you erroneously attempt to attack their use of English.

Not even a "nice try".

[NJCher]

154. My point

Whooshed right over your head.

But since you are not an English teacher, I can see why.

—————

On edit

I was just reminiscing about the time you suggested I take up meditation.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

158. Your point that it is "overused" is pointless and logically has nothing to do with Prairie Gates proper use.

Your point is that people overuse the word "literally".

the word
Reply to Prairie Gates (Reply #64)

"literally" is overused.

and trite, too.

Logically, the way other people use a word has no bearing on an argument when the word is correctly used.

By analogy, you are using the same kind of argument as saying that if one hundred people use a hammer to pound in screws, someone use a hammer to pound in nails is "overusing" a hammer and being "trite".

You made a different error in logic in post #27.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

159. Meditation? Link me. Now you want to diss meditiation?

[stopdiggin]

55. his 'academic credentials' do nothing to prop up what

(as previous poster pointed out) is clearly fairly thin 'opinion' - that doesn't tie together very well - and offers almost nothing in the way of backing or support.

There is little here that says 'researched' or academic. And the thesis itself ... Thin.
Perhaps something we would like to believe ... But ...

[NJCher]

65. see my

Post 45.

Has everything to do with "mind set."

[stopdiggin]

82. no. it's about whether THIS piece has any real backing

that ties it in to a real world scenario. Or whether (as a number on the thread have suggested) it is simply one man's thinly sourced ruminations. In short - does the argument have real merit .. ? Or does it remain lacking?

And having a series of letters that you hang on the end of your name - doesn't change the fundamentals, or the argument.

[TygrBright]

125. He also consistently misspelled Waltz's name. n/t

[NJCher]

45. also

I mention his background not as a trump card but as a way of showing the person has enough credibility that he was hired by these two institutions.

One has to do this sort of thing around here because of the surfeit of negative thinkers. This is a thinking pattern that is a holdover from back when we were cave people, constantly in danger. We're no longer being attacked by bears and snakes et al and held in check, negatives can be somewhat useful. However, there are people here who are full blown negative. Nothing ever, ever is credible.

It's always the same ones, too.

I pity their existence.

[Ocelot II]

83. Yes, that's all true, but how did Waltz get Goldberg's private cell number?

And why on earth would he or an underling or anybody at DoD even have the private number of the editor of The Atlantic? Who did he think JG was? That's the bit that seems especially fishy.

[muriel_volestrangler]

58. This guy is saying that someone got hold of Waltz's phone and inserted Goldberg's number

and then either added Goldberg to the group themselves, or disguised Goldberg's number in such a way that Waltz thought he was adding someone else. This guy is also asserting that this must have been connected to a simple "tell the NYT Musk is getting a briefing on China" leak. They're 2 different things, in different organizations (the hacking of the phone not being a Pentagon speciality). It's speculation without decent evidence.

The better explanation is that Waltz added Goldberg's number himself to the phone some time (eg, as NS Adviser, he thought it might prove useful to contact an editor at some point), quite possibly under the initials "JG", and he meant to add Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative, to the group on the Red Sea attack. ie Waltz is careless. This is, of course, the explanation that nearly all other commentators have gone with.

[underpants]

96. Thanks. I'd been wondering you JG might be.

It was a mistake but it was a spectacularly stupid mistake to start with. Kegsbreath took it to another level.

[yardwork]

68. Yes, but the more I think about it....

The military and intelligence leaders that Trump just fired and replaced with morons built their careers during our invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Most of them are probably conservative Republicans who believe that the rightful role of the U.S. is to run the world through military defense.

Many of them may have parents and grandparents who served as well, an unbroken line of anti-communist pro-America beliefs that go back to WWI. They believe it's America's job to protect the world.

I can't imagine that they are happy about what Trump is doing to our global reputation. Let's assume they don't give a shit about DEI, medical research, the Department of Education, or most of the rest of Project 2025. BUT they are probably quite unhappy to have a Russian plant heading Intelligence, an incompetent drunk heading the military, our withdrawal from NATO, picking fights with Canada and the rest of Europe, etc.

Also, USAID has always been a convenient conduit for the CIA and State Department. They're probably upset about the loss of that, too.

These people were taught to go to war to defend America. It wouldn't be surprising if some of them are doing exactly that.

Pure speculation.

[Tumbulu]

95. I agree, what I cannot figure out is why the Mump circus isn't exterminated yet

I am just mystified, to tell you the truth.

And just wait until all the contracts for US weapons and aircraft to deliver them crater. Did you hear the former Ambassador to Denmark on Rachel the other night?

Who cannot see that this rapid reversal of an 80 year old policy/ income generating to the military industrial complex, as it was once described, will generate a financial depression? Not that I am all in for the weapons systems being the largest generator of income for the nation, but it strikes me as something that should be eased out of rather than just dumped with such speed.

I suppose these people believe the courts and the public will stop all this in time?

I am mystified that the over all business community has not joined forces with the military industrial complex to get rid of the tech bro takeover and the annihilation of the Federal Government’s funding and stability that it created for their business’s futures. Unless they are somehow in on it, and didn’t figure that the rest of the world that once bought weapons from us will now abruptly stop.

What do you think?

[CitizenZero]

121. I think that you are right

I imagine that the military industrial complex folks are biding their time and making calculations. If Trump Musk comes after their business, I think it would be the downfall of the Trump Musk Regime.

[CitizenZero]

120. Agreed

There has got to be a lot of dedicated, life long, patriotic Americans in the government and the military that are really pissed off. It is speculation, but I think that it is a realistic assumption. Covert actions and operations would not be out of the question.

[underpants]

97. I agree. This seems like it takes several big leaps over the obvious.

[Autumn]

18. I don't think I buy this. I hep someone is doing this but I really have my doubts about this.

[NJCher]

27. to discard the idea

is to discard the belief that the U.S. military, the most powerful military in the world, would blow off the concept of planting cells. This is a time-honored technique.

Maybe as stupid as this country is overall, you could be right. However, when I see people like General Milley, I kinda' think we still have some intelligent people who are capable of planning something along these lines.

[stopdiggin]

42. problem with this train of thought

is that you don't see Milley (nor anyone of that demeanor or stripe) trying to disrupt, and possibly thwart?, operational mission and plans. And the idea that they might be doing it covertly - is more or less inconceivable. Regardless the politics involved - you don't sabotage troops or operations.

[NJCher]

47. the problem with this train of thought

Is I have actually seen highly tactical people in "wars." OK, they were corporate wars, but I think the same principle exists: covert is way better than out front.

Who sabotaged? Certainly not the cell. It was Hegseth and his chronies.

[stopdiggin]

62. I can't even begin to follow ...

Corporate war is the same as an (operational) military attack on foreign soil? Ummmmm ....

And - the leaking was by design (supposedly by some covert 'cell' ) - but it wasn't sabotage - because the number was planted on somebody else's phone ..... ?

I think I have to stop now ....

[Autumn]

90. Right. That just isn't going to happen.

[SheltieLover]

48. Agreed!

[Autumn]

94. I understand. People want the military to save us because we have been told they protects us.

They don't. The military went along with yellowcake uranium. The miltary went along with Sadam attacking the US on 9/11. I will never count on the miltary or the Pentagon to do the right thing.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

149. Just because something is possible is not an argument FOR its actuality

That something is possible is a counter-argument to the claim it is impossible.

The possibility of something is not evidence for its existence.

Please be logical.

[Red Mountain]

19. I like this possibility

but sadly, I'm going to have to go with simple stupidity.

It's the least complicated explanation.

Without evidence of a more complex scenario, always go with the least complicated choice.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

20. People want to believe stuff like this, because then they don't have to save themselves and others.

[NJCher]

29. all those people out demonstrating in the streets

are not waiting for someone to "save" them. Rachel did an episode on this and since that time there have been many more.

Maybe you'd like to think your fellow citizen is a lazy slug; I see people rising to the task.

As long as I'm on the topic, please do tell me about your plan for attending:



I'll be watching for your experience at the protests. Thanks so much for participating and not waiting to be "saved."

[h2ebits]

76. Thanks for posting this. I will be out on April 5th trying to save our democracy

FYI: I believe the article that you posted to be true and accurate. The groundswell is growing and needs to exponentially increase.

And, I am also tired of the constant arguments and naysayers on DU.

Just as I spend a lot of time posting news articles on Facebook in an attempt to get the truth out, there are many people working to create the news for us to read and find out what is really happening. Our democracy is ALL of US but we must show up!!

I refuse to allow the naysayers to drag me backwards and have all of my life.

These are truly scary times. I discovered a long time ago, that it genuinely helps me to get over my fearful thoughts if I take action in a positive direction.

1. Calling House and Senate reps every day.

2. Working hard to get the accurate news out to anyone that I can. Thus, my "public" posts on Facebook.

3. Marching and demonstrating

Please feel free to add to the list. . . .

Thanks again for your original post. There are still many many people who swore an oath to our Constitution and will defend us against the enemy both internal and external.

[kkmarie]

88. I really want to believe this

I look at it as another tool in the toolbox. As we citizens protest and the lawyers sue, it would be great if there were people on the inside doing something

[DENVERPOPS]

25. I am always amazed at the factual

news that we find out about, only through Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Guardian sometimes WaPo, sometimes NYTimes, etc, and here on DU.
No small wonder !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

95+% of ALL Media in the U.S. is owned/operated by Uber Rich Republicans or Republican Corporations........

No different than "State Owned" Media in Russia, formerly PRAVDA, or Hitler taking over the entire Media in Nazi Germany.....
(And Fox News, broadcast on the Armed Forces Network around the world, as the only news source......)

[reACTIONary]

37. RE: Fox News, broadcast on the Armed Forces Network around the world, as the only news source.

Not true.

AFN News. AFN News is a rolling-news channel providing news from all major news outlets. Newscasts, such as the NBC Nightly News, Fox News, ABC World News Tonight and CBS Evening News, were all scheduled to air in the mornings so viewers could watch the headlines live, but now they air on a tape delay in the regular early evening slot, back to back

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Forces_Network

[DENVERPOPS]

46. Thank you

what I was thinking is that FOX news is the ONLY broadcast on that network with 100% Republican Propaganda, with NOTHING resembling factual reporting and broadcasting constant lies .........It is ludicrous, for anyone to think, that FOX can even call itself a legitimate NEWS organization, much less represent itself as such, on the AFN.........

[BComplex]

80. I think what Denverpops was referring to was the fact that, if you're on a military base, they usually

have fux nooz on the televisions. Not that the military, as a policy, demands that all the televisions are tuned to fux nooz. They just usually ARE tuned to fux nooz. I see it all the time. Fux nooz viewers are just really pushy about making sure all the televisions they can possibly control will be pushing out their bullshit.

[FirstLight]

28. really fascinating...

could we hope there still anyone around behind the scenes that has a shred of decency AND two brain cells!

[WhiteTara]

30. I am so grateful we still have patriotic Americans

who are protecting the country and constitution.

[stopdiggin]

31. kinda doubt it. the first 'leak' mentioned

might have arisen from a degree of disgruntlement ...
The second doesn't follow the same pattern (or agenda), at all. And looks a lot more like just plain ham fisted bumbling and incompetence.

[H2O Man]

33. Recommended.

Yes, of course! I was discussing this with my sons last week.

[H2O Man]

123. Being an old

and grumpy man, it brings a smile to my heavily-wrinkled face that some would question if those in the military and intelligence take their oaths seriously.

If one has experienced the pleasure of working in a bureaucratic system of any type, if the new boss is a fucking dangerous asshole, there are layers beneath the surface that can and do take steps to undermine him. Those sworn to uphold the Constitution seriously.

It is, of course, an easier task to when the target is as pathetic as this administration.

[Saoirse9]

128. Well that gives me hope

[H2O Man]

131. It is important

to remember that the FBI had been looking at the felon long before he entererd the 2016 primaries. This included for his gambling casino associates. More, keep in mind that no one did construction in NYC where he did without interacting with organized crime. This was in a time when Russian organized crime -- a branch of Russian intelligence -- was coming to America. They needed to launder money from the collapse of the Soviet Union. (The mafia proper allowed them some operations in NYC & Long Island.) The infamous "tower" housed numerous organized crime figures, including Russian mobsters, for this allowed them the same laundry service as the felon's casino had.

The section of the FBI that investigates literally every person who runs for president knew of five people on the felon's campaign that were actively dealing with Russian intelligence-mob. We see people on this forum ask why the FBI didn't warn the public, especially when Comey spoke about Clinton, then sent the late memo to DC committee members. This is evidence of the lack of understanding of how different branches within the agency work. It would have violated the law for them to leak the Russian connection to the campaign. (And still other intelligence sources were studying the felon's psychological make-up ...... few in the public were going deeper than the orange stuff he smears on his face, you know.)

Now, would any forum member have taken shit from, say, Stephen Miller in junior high school? Without slapping the shit out of him? With that in mind, do people really think that there is not a system that was put in place unofficially during the 2024 campaign to prepare for if the convicted sex offender - felon won? That these men and women would be too afraid to do their best to uphold their oath and protect this country?

Perhaps in June we will witness a reprise of the historic Plame threads.

[Saoirse9]

138. Aaaahhh. A reprise.

Bring it.

I like the notion that people are working behind the scenes to undermine the orange shit stain. I just wish I was clairvoyant so I could know what will happen and when.

Hell I think all of us are counting the days until he’s dead or arrested.

But it will take Civil War to stop him now.

[Pepsidog]

34. Smart analysis. Thanks.

[reACTIONary]

39. This is bullshit. There is no ....

... "powerful cell". It's normal, SOP leaking. And the single chat was not a "leak".

[NJCher]

51. nope

too much strategy involved for it to be a day-to-day type leak.

Re-read the rationale for the media selection.

If it were SOP it would have been any media.

[stopdiggin]

69. Nobody else is coming up with this scenario ...

except this one guy and his opinion piece. And yet you seem to be really wedded to this (rather thin, and totally speculative) - idea. While the simpler and more accepted solution - has every bit if not more - merit.

[NJCher]

144. Excuse me but I have tears in my eyes

From laughing.

Never, ever have I heard a rationale like nobody else is saying this.

Hello? Has the concept of original thought totally escaped you?

This is what is prized in the world of writing.

It is all the more credible when the writer has been in a position of having seen it before in other situations. There are tell tale signs and that is what Goggins is saying.

[stopdiggin]

150. ah, yes. the 'independent thinker'

just "doin' muh own research"
skeptical of vaccines, global warming, seat belts, germ theory, evolution - and any other stripe of 'conventional thought'.

and so cherished by us all !

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[NJCher]

152. Only by the hopelessly naive.

User name checks out. Stop digging for anything but simpleton explanations.

Or any explanation at all, for that matter.

[stopdiggin]

155. and those that believe that things like evolution and vaccines

should be disproven - before discarded

[NJCher]

157. Those items have nothing to do with

The discussion. Stick to the point.

[stopdiggin]

160. Quoting from your own post

"Hello? Has the concept of original thought totally escaped you?
This is what is prized in the world of writing."

The point is the piece presented in the OP (i.e. the discussion) - offers very little in support of its assertion. Namely, "A powerful cell is operating : The Leak To The Atlantic Was No Accident." And when skepticism along with criticism of a lack of anything tangible is mounted against ... It now becomes 'original thought'. So it seems we should maybe make some sort of distinction. Is this an exercise in 'creative thinking' - and an "imagine, if" as you would have it - or, as the headline would seem to infer, is this something that the author is claiming as actually taking place?

And/or does that distinction really not make much difference in your mind?

[dweller]

44. 95+% of ALL Media in the U.S. ( as mentioned in reply above)

Is responsible for the creation of the Pisswig, starting with the apprentice , and continuing with the constant daily barrage of news coverage when he was not even in power .
They created the motherfucker and US citizens have swallowed the myth fullthroatedly.
They he easiest way to destroy the petty tyrant is to shun him . Laugh at him . Deny his existence . Don’t feed his ego and narcissistic power.
It will drive him to a full collapse or hopefully a massive aneurysm.


✌🏻

[SheltieLover]

56. If slobby were ever completely ignored, even for 48 hrs, he would shrivel up & croak

[spanone]

50. K&R

[wiggs]

52. There's a lot we don't know about this story. This could be one aspect. (If there's a deep US cell which added

a name to the chat group, then potentially there could be cells from outside the US too manipulating this group of incompetents)

[choie]

53. That is very wishful thinking.

But if so, I'm sure that person will come out with a book in 2028.

[NJCher]

146. Ehhhh

I think it’s just common sense that the US would have such a cell..

That they are there is not particularly implausible, although the incredibly naive among us might think so. Cheebus, these posters must think the most sophisticated military in the world operates like a turnip truck out of backwoods Mississippi.

What is novel and interesting is how brutally these fools were slapped upside the head. Quite professionally and efficiently. I truly admire a crushing blow of this nature.

[Buckeyeblue]

54. It wouldn't surprise me

I don't think career military and intelligence people are going to stand idle while Trump tries to burn everything down.

Everything Trump has done in the last 2 months can be fixed.

The point in time when he really puts our nation at a high risk--a really high risk--I think there will be intervention.

[gordianot]

67. The editor of the Atlantic almost to good to be true.

Sounds to me the amateurs and the drunk are being played by professionals.

[Kid Berwyn]

70. Cell?

It’s the whole darn organism: We the People who oppose the traitortrumputin.

[AntiFascist]

71. Michael Waltz probably thought it would cool to include a journalist on the chat...

in order to document the attack on the Houthis, without realizing the security implications. I think we are giving them too much credit without realizing how bumbling and incompetent the national security team really is.

[Voltaire2]

75. Or he meant to add somebody else.

"US trade representative Jamieson Greer" - as per wired. Both of these would show up as 'JG' icons.

[NJCher]

147. It really doesn't work that way

We have a similar kind of arrangement on state executive board union meetings via Zoom. We are regularly informed by the national union of attempts by republicans to break into our union meetings. Consequently, we check out every set of initials before the meeting gets underway.

We have to know this person. If we don’t, they are excluded from the meeting. It’s easy and takes only a minute or two.

[mercuryblues]

73. I have 2 theories on who it is

Look at that chat to see who was the least despicable.

Or....

Vance. Killing the birds. He exposes trump as the dumbass he believes trump to be. Gets him put out to pasture. Puts the EU on alert that when, not if, he becomes president he will expect to be paid off.

Who has the most to lose if Americans boycott China goods if they attack Taiwan? Thiel who bought and paid for Vance. I also suspect that Musk might be in the loop or an unwitting doofus. It is his job to get trump riled up and make the changes Thiel needs to further his $$$.


I think we need a conspiracy smile. Like a rabbit coming out of a hole,

[Voltaire2]

74. AFAIK it was Waltz who added Greenberg.

Details of the Signal group fiasco emerged because, in the days prior to the bombing, a handle with the name Michael Waltz had accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, to a chat titled “Houthi PC small group.” (He likely meant to add US trade representative Jamieson Greer, who has the same initials.)

https://www.wired.com/story/trump-officials-signal-chat-candlelight-dinner-mar-a-lago-yemen/

And that would blow 'deepthroat 2.0''s cover. So I find this story difficult to reconcile with what we know.

[intrepidity]

106. Perhaps some hacker had cloned Waltz's phone?

And did the adding? If nothing else, we have learned that group does *not* understand security.

[Voltaire2]

108. bogus conspiracy theories are frequently identified by their need to add on new explanations

in order to explain obvious discrepancies.

[Blue_Roses]

78. I've been thinking

something like this was bound to happen eventually. Trump has pissed off too many.

For those who are doubters, think outside the box for a change. This will not be a predictable pattern. Far from it.

[flashman13]

89. Take the time to read the entire article. It will definitely improve your state of mind.

I still have faith in the U.S. military and Federal judges.

The opposition is forming and is rapidly expanding. Trump has awakened a sleeping giant. We are coming for you Donny.

[Silver Gaia]

124. I agree. Click the link. Read the whole article.

Please don't just reject this out of hand after reading only the excerpt that could be posted here! Go actually READ the whole thing and think on that.

[Viz]

135. I agree....

If you read the article....especially the leaking to the NYT about the planned presentation @ Pentagon to discuss China military plans with an insecure and unsecure Musk, just in time to blow up that presentation but no time for the administration to do damage control. Who within the Administration made that announcement to NYT? This unraveling and exposure will be heating up this week.
Going down, is my prediction.

[tavernier]

91. I just hate it when they write Walz for Waltz.

This could lead to the kind of confusing crap that we don’t need.

[GreenWave]

103. This would give poo poo King the green light to purge the deep state.

Reverse effect.

[Bluetus]

104. Seriously? Are we really supposed to believe

that Signal can't say who added the Atlantic to the list?

That's preposterous.

The issue here is that we have a reuck in charge of the Pentagon, and he may be the best of the whole gang. They obviously have no intention of adhering to any laws relating to official conduct or the protection of classified information.

The issue is that they are probably doing this Signal business (or worse) every day because they just don't care. They all feel they are untouchable because Trump is establishing a totalitarian government and they are the chosen few.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

153. "reuck"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rushine_De_Reuck ?

[seta1950]

107. I hope so

[doc03]

109. I find it strange that Vance was the one that said he thought it was a mistake.

[kimbutgar]

110. We need both Deep throat and anonymous to report the criminality of this illegal administration and expose that they're

Working on trying to overthrow our democracy and invalidate our constitution.

[Bettie]

112. As if they know

how to read!

Seriously, I'm starting to think they are all unable to read or understand human interaction.

[Rebl2]

113. After

that happened, it crossed my mind that this was purposely leaked by someone in the Pentagon.

[Meowmee]

114. What plan?

Not clicking link.

[DoBW]

115. my bet ....

any leaks are done out of pure loathing for the b/tch musk

[Xolodno]

118. In order to save my country, I need to betray it.

Forgot where I read it.

When we found out who was deep throat, turns out he was just a rank and file member of the FBI in the background who was pissed he didn't get a promotion.

You never know the true motive and who might be leaking can be just about anyone. Trump and Musk have pissed a lot of people off and they may be out to get their pound of flesh.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

156. "rank and file member"? Hah! Look it up again or for the first time . . . . . nt

[Clouds Passing]

119. Thanks for posting NJCher. Verrrrry in-ter-es-ting!

[Maeve]

122. I have a journalist friend who postulated this on Facebook

With an alternative possibility that it was a setup to kick off attacks on the media. The hamhanded response argues for either a cell or just superlative stupidity and cluelessness.
I argued for both cell AND stupidity.

[TygrBright]

126. Whether this article is true or not, it will ratchet up the regime's paranoia...

...and add fuel to the Stupidity Cycle. Might even speed up the major dysfunction events timeline.

All to the good.

interestedly,
Bright

[stillcool]

127. thanks...interesting read

nice to think people are doing their thing.

[proud patriot]

130. I mentioned this in a prev. thread

My inkling was that whomever added waltz wanted the signal chat outed . Wants the admin to use
SCIFS and such .

This confirms my suspicions

[MorbidButterflyTat]

134. Thanks for this

Appreciated.

[Blue Owl]

140. It has been cold pontooning weather of late

[CitizenZero]

141. Link to another post about the same substack author writing a follow up article

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220192028

[CitizenZero]

143. The OP sounds like spy fiction

The OP sounds like spy fiction. I read the article. It would be great if it were true. It would mean that there are military and intelligence operatives inside the government working against Trump Musk. And there probably are. But the original article is speculative with no real evidence. I take it with a grain of salt. It is an entertaining idea though.

[NJCher]

151. The writer says he is

Speculating, but speculating based on what he has seen in his career. That is why I emphasized his background, which is even more extensive than what I detailed.

To me this isn’t spy fiction; it’s just common sense.

Clever humans do this kind of thing as a matter of course.

[Pacifist Patriot]

161. There is no need for a witch hunt. When you add someone to a Signal group (I use the app)...

It clearly says who added the individual to the group chat.

[eppur_se_muova]

162. "Never rush to attribute to malice that which may simply be due to incompetence."

Not that some people aren't blessed with plenty of both.

[HereForTheParty]

163. Then don't leak information that compromises sensitive information

To be clear, there isn't a whiff of concrete evidence here. But I'd hope they'd do it in different ways if they had such ability.

[sekha68]

164. Oh, how I hope this is true.