Stealing?! Secrets, Red Hot Secrets, Get Your Secrets Here!

Comparison:

Can you even call it stealing when it’s this simple? The Trump administration has unlocked the vault doors, fired half of the security guards and asked the rest to roll pennies. Walk right in. Take what you want. This is the golden age.

Noah Shactman argues that, among many other slips, recent revealed discussions of military actions by top Trump administration officials have shown careless disregard for sensitive, classified information and plans. Would a bank vault and rolling pennies have occurred to you as the best comparison to capture the breathtaking carelessness of certain officials?

Context:

If you’re running the security directorate of a hostile nation, savor this moment. It’s never been easier to steal secrets from the United States government. Can you even call it stealing when it’s this simple? The Trump administration has unlocked the vault doors, fired half of the security guards and asked the rest to roll pennies. Walk right in. Take what you want. This is the golden age.

In its first two months, the Trump administration has made move after move that exposes the government to penetration by foreign intelligence services.

Citation:

Shactman, Noah. "Foreign Spies to Team Trump: . . ." New York Times, 26 March 2025. Web.

(Image design by Lee Aigue; base image courtesy of Bing March 2025.)