Seems like a good time to remember.
Navy Admiral Mike Rogers, who was head of the NSA under Obama, broke the chain of command and went behind Obama’s back by having a private meeting with President-Elect Trump at Trump Tower after the 2016 Election.
The very next day after that meeting, President-Elect Trump moved his operations out of Trump Tower.
They spied on his campaign, and Admiral Rogers blew the whistle.
We’ve had the ball the entire time.
Admiral Michael S. Rogers, former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, had limited but notable interactions with then-candidate and President-elect Donald Trump during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. These interactions primarily revolve around a meeting in November 2016 and subsequent speculation about Rogers’ role and intentions.
Below is a detailed summary based on available information:
– **November 17, 2016, Meeting at Trump Tower**:
Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, Rogers met with President-elect Trump at Trump Tower in New York without informing his superiors, including Defense Secretary Ashton Carter or Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
This unprecedented move for a serving military officer caused consternation within the Obama administration. The meeting was reported by various sources, including The Washington Post and NPR, and sparked speculation about Rogers’ motives. Some reports suggested he was being considered for a role in the Trump administration, potentially as Director of National Intelligence, though he ultimately remained in his NSA and Cyber Command roles until his retirement in 2018.
– **Speculation About Warning Trump of Surveillance**:
Some posts on X and certain narratives, particularly from conservative sources, claim Rogers visited Trump Tower to warn him about alleged surveillance of the Trump campaign by the Obama administration, specifically citing Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) requests in June and October 2016.
These claims suggest Rogers acted against the interests of the Obama administration by informing Trump of wiretapping or monitoring activities at Trump Tower.
However, these assertions are not supported by mainstream sources and are considered inconclusive without corroborating evidence.
Other reports, such as one from journalist Lee Smith, argue Rogers was not warning Trump but rather seeking to retain his position as NSA director or apply for another role.
– **Denial of Collusion Discussions**:
In 2018, Rogers publicly stated he never discussed collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia with Trump or White House officials, refuting reports that Trump asked him to deny evidence of such collusion. He emphasized he was never coerced or directed to act improperly, stating he felt comfortable expressing his views during discussions with the administration.
This was in response to allegations that Trump had pressured Rogers and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to publicly downplay Russian interference in the 2016 election.
– **Context of Russian Interference**:
During his tenure, Rogers consistently affirmed the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, a stance that contrasted with Trump’s public skepticism. In a 2017 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Rogers confirmed he had warned French counterparts about Russian cyber activities before their election, indicating his proactive role in countering foreign interference. He later testified in February 2018 that the Trump administration had not granted him new authorities to counter Russian cyber operations, suggesting a lack of aggressive response to ongoing threats. However, by September 2018, Rogers noted that Cyber Command had received additional authorities, indicating some progress.
– **Cooperation with Durham Investigation**:
After retiring, Rogers cooperated with the Justice Department’s probe, led by U.S. Attorney John Durham, into the origins of the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. He met with Durham multiple times, though the specifics of his contributions remain unclear. This cooperation suggests Rogers provided insights into the intelligence community’s actions during the 2016 election period but does not directly confirm involvement with the Trump campaign itself.
– **Controversy and Obama Administration Tensions**:
Prior to the Trump Tower meeting, Defense Secretary Carter and DNI Clapper had recommended Rogers’ removal from his NSA and Cyber Command roles in October 2016, citing concerns over his leadership, including perceived failures in combating ISIS cyberattacks and security breaches following the Edward Snowden leaks. The meeting with Trump, occurring shortly after this recommendation, fueled speculation that Rogers was seeking to align with the incoming administration to secure his position or a new role. Despite these tensions, Trump chose to retain Rogers as NSA director, unlike other Obama-era intelligence officials like Clapper and CIA Director John Brennan, who were replaced.
**Summary**:
Admiral Rogers’ involvement with Trump during the 2016 campaign was primarily limited to the November 2016 Trump Tower meeting, the purpose of which remains debated. Mainstream sources indicate it was likely related to a potential role in the Trump administration, while some unverified claims suggest Rogers warned Trump of surveillance.
Rogers consistently denied being pressured by Trump to downplay Russian interference and maintained the intelligence community’s findings on Russia’s 2016 election meddling, which sometimes put him at odds with Trump’s public stance. His cooperation with the Durham investigation post-retirement further underscores his engagement with inquiries related to the 2016 election, but no definitive evidence links him to direct involvement with Trump’s campaign activities during the election itself. Claims from X posts about warning Trump of surveillance should be treated with skepticism, as they lack corroboration from credible sources.
