The Informed Citizen

If everyday is a new scandal, than there is no scandal.

I awoke this morning to the news that Elon Musk will be receiving classified briefings from the Pentagon. While there are disputed accounts about whether these briefings will cover war plans with China, the Administration has confirmed that the classified briefing is scheduled to occur. This revelation is deeply troubling. As someone who has held a security clearance, I understand the rigorous background investigations required by the FBI before such access is granted. Even with a clearance, accessing classified material without a “need to know” (NTK) is a serious breach of security. Elon Musk, a non-American citizen with business ties to both China and Russia, raises countless red flags. What is his NTK? Why is he being granted access to sensitive military information?  

This is not just about Musk. It’s about a broader strategy of chaos and disregard for norms, spearheaded by Trump. By granting Musk unprecedented power and access—more than even Cabinet members—Trump has turned governance into a spectacle of arrogance and recklessness. 

The Strategy of Chaos 

Trump and Musk’s approach to government is not about efficiency or reform; it’s about domination and disruption. While there is a valid need to address waste and fraud in government, this could have been achieved through qualified auditors working collaboratively with department leaders. Instead, Musk’s team, armed with arrogance and ignorance, bulldozed their way through departments, demanding unrestricted access to all data—classified, sensitive, and personal.  

This chaos was not accidental. It was a deliberate tactic to overwhelm opposition and desensitize the public. By creating a constant barrage of scandals and upheaval, they ensured that no single issue could gain enough traction to spark organized resistance. 

The Impact of Recklessness 

The consequences of this recklessness were immediate and devastating. Musk’s team, composed of inexperienced young workers, operated under grueling conditions—120-hour weeks, sleeping on floors—pursuing cuts with no regard for the human or operational cost. Critical staff were terminated, only to be hastily rehired when the impact on essential services like air traffic control and national defense became apparent.  

This isn’t governance; it’s chaos. Musk’s flippant attitude, epitomized by his chainsaw-wielding antics, underscores the lack of empathy and understanding driving these decisions. To Trump and Musk, government is just another corporation, and its employees are expendable. 

Historical Parallels 

Trump’s tactics are not new. They echo the playbook of authoritarian leaders throughout history: demonize a group, strip them of their humanity, and rally the public against them. In this case, Trump has targeted government employees, painting them as “bloated, leftist, lazy bureaucrats.” This rhetoric dehumanizes dedicated public servants and undermines the very institutions that uphold our democracy. 

A Call to Action 

I have worked in government for 15 years (and 20 corporate prior), and I can attest to the integrity and dedication of my colleagues. We serve with a sense of mission, often sacrificing higher pay and benefits because we believe in the importance of our work. The caricature of government workers as lazy or corrupt is not just false—it’s dangerous. 

Trump’s worldview is rooted in cynicism and self-interest. He cannot fathom the values of honesty, integrity, and service because they are absent in his own character. But we, as Americans, are better than this. We are a nation of principles, of compassion, of doing the right thing even when it’s hard.  

It’s time to reject the chaos and division. It’s time to stand against tyranny and fascism. Let us once again be what Reagan reminded us, the Shining City on a Hill—a beacon of hope, integrity, and unity.