The “fake news” phenomenon introduced by President Trump in the 2016 campaign is giving the U.S. intelligence community heartburn.
In his declassified threat assessment, Daniel R. Coats, the director of national intelligence, said the community fears Americans no longer believe what the government says.
It cited multiple potential threats where responses could get stalled by disbelieving Americans, such as on the threat of global warming.
The report said, “Challenges from urbanization and migration will persist, while the effects of air pollution, inadequate water, and climate change on human health and livelihood will become more noticeable. Domestic policy responses to such issues will become more difficult—especially for democracies—as publics become less trusting of authoritative information sources.”
Only in the last week has Washington taken note of the concerns mentioned last in the last summary bullet point.
Former Pentagon official Jed Babbin said distrust has been building for years. “Whatever you call it — fake news, propaganda, or politics — American voters have been trained to be skeptical of what the government says,” he said.
The Examiner contributor and co-author of the Secrets Weekly Trump Report Card added, “The Worldwide Threat Assessment correctly portrays grave threats to our national security that are all too real. Nevertheless, domestic politics are so anger-laden and hostile to recognition of these threats — and to the costs and efforts it will take to deal with the them — that the programs necessary to deal with the threats will be almost impossible to convert into congressional action. Unless the president leads Americans to recognize seriousness of these threats and convinces them that they must be dealt with, little or nothing will be done.
Retired Navy Rear Adm. Michael Groothousen, who commanded the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, agreed and said growing public skepticism has been growing for years.
“Some in our government have warned for years the oceans would rise and we would surely see some of our coastlines under water by now – they are not. Winter would disappear – it certainly has not. Over 75 percent of adults say there is bias in the media adding to the expanded divisiveness apparent on social media when most Americans have always felt it was media’s job to hold our politicians equally accountable on either side of the aisle — they are not,” he said.
“Is it any surprise most Americans are confused and frustrated with those inside the Beltway – I am not. Unfortunately until the rudder is thrown in the opposite direction and the massive ship of state comes about, distrust will only linger and possibly increase of our hollowed institutions on the Hill,” he added.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
