Donald Trump's Dangerous Politicization of America's Spy Agencies

The Washington Roundtable is joined by Jeff Stein, the veteran political reporter and founding editor of the newsletter “Spytalk,” to examine Donald Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as the new acting Director of National Intelligence, a position that, in theory, oversees the C.I.A., N.S.A., F.B.I., and fifteen other agencies. Pulte has no intelligence background and no national-security experience, but does have a track record of going after the President’s perceived enemies. Plus, the panel discusses a recent Washington Post investigation that raised new questions about the outgoing director, Tulsi Gabbard, and her alleged ties to a religious cult.

This week’s reading:

“Everyone Wants to Touch the Blue Coating in the Reflecting Pool,” by Jesús Rodríguez

“Chronicle of a Disaster Foretold,” by David Remnick

“The Difference Between the Knicks and the White House Cage Fight,” by Adam Gopnik

“How the Trump Administration Pushed Judges to Deport Children,” by E. Tammy Kim

“Do Netanyahu’s Domestic Opponents Offer a Real Alternative?” by Isaac Chotiner

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

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