In Oliver Stone's 1987 classic Wall Street, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) – a high-flying investment guru – delicately revealed the nuances of insider trading with a charming ruthlessness that tunneled his path to fortunes. Enamored by Gekko and hungry for money, the young and impressionable Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) fell under Gekko's spell. After some trading losses based on "hard work", Gekko presented Bud with the opportunity for incalculable riches or an invitation to part ways. The catch, of course, was that Bud would have to start producing information otherwise not publicly available. At the cornerstone of Gekko's pitch was one of the most memorable lines of the movie (and there were many):
"Information is the most valuable commodity in the world," lectured Gekko.
Indeed, this maxim has never been more relevant than it is today. Over the last few days, we have been steadily reminded of the value of information, and more critically, its accuracy. Perhaps this is because news coverage is feeding the public's voracious appetite for drama and info, but in the process of this onslaught, we've been treated to an unusual glimpse into the intelligence cycle and how it affects U.S. policy decisions. This examination of the collection, analysis, and dissemination of intelligence has undeniably blurred the lines between domestic and international espionage.
Welcome to the new frontier in information warfare.
It is true that some choose to wage battle by hiding behind anonymous electronic dumping grounds like WikiLeaks while others employ the most effective method – Human Intelligence or (HUMINT) as it's known throughout the corridors of the Intel community. Swept into this category are those tantalizing whispers over martinis, incriminating videos cut in swanky hotel rooms abroad, and the real identity behind a cloudy matrix of offshore companies. After listening to the testimony of FBI and NSA Directors Comey and Admiral Rogers, I was left with the inescapable conclusion that their investigations amount to an avalanche of coincidences that strongly suggest wide-ranging impropriety, and the Department of Justice has likely started to sketch the skeletons of several criminal indictments aimed at those in Trump's constellation.
But before the grand juries are convened, perhaps the lens that evaluates how Trump communicates should be re-examined. His method manages to resonate with his base, is consistently misinterpreted by the press, and is instructive. And this is the illusion of spontaneity. Spontaneity is good, spontaneity works, Gekko might say. It signals authenticity and its entertainment value provides terrific cover for the true architect. To be sure, there is masterful deception behind the ALL CAP and sporadic Tweets that appear extemporaneous on the surface but are in actuality part of a carefully scripted intelligence operation. Behind Trump is a master of HUMINT, and the timing of these congressional hearings and the conflicting information that continues to spew forth concerning Russia's involvement in the presidential election and wire-tapping claims chip away at the credibility of investigations. This is not a coincidence but rather all revelations that Steve Bannon has quietly anticipated with the hope of creating reasonable doubt.