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Dead Drop: October 13

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DEEP STATE OR DEEP CONCERN?  President Trump and his supporters would have you believe that those concerned about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election are just relics of the “deep state” struggling to protect their stake in the status quo.  On the other side are a growing number of prominent voices arguing against sweeping allegations of election manipulation under the Oval Office carpet.  A relatively new outfit called the “Committee to Investigate Russia”, which released a short video last week, explaining why “Russia matters.” Included in the video were former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, former DNI James Clapper, former FBI official Clint Watts, former CIA and NSA Director General Michael Hayden, and former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell.

POTTED PALMS: Last Thursday, President Trump participated in a ritual event – a dinner with his top military officials – four-star combatant commanders and their spouses.  Such dinners have been going on for years.  In this case – on short notice, sources tell The Cipher Brief, the White House press pool was called into the State Dining Room to photograph the crowd.  With cameras rolling, we’re told, the President offered up a rhetorical question: “You guys know what this represents?” and then proceeded to answer his own inquiry: “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”  He was right, because what ensued was a storm of speculation about what the heck he was talking about. The Dead Drop is reliably informed that flag and general officers present were uniformly embarrassed about being used as props for presidential saber rattling.  It’s possible that to some in the room, the prospect of armed conflict is not a joking matter or a suitable subject for trolling America’s foes. 

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