Trump NSA Restructuring Plan is a Poor Substitute for Meaningful Reform

Interview with Thomas Drake, a former NSA senior executive and whistleblower, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Thomas Drake talks about this latest development at his former agency. Twenty years ago, Drake revealed the George W. Bush administration’s post 9/11 warrantless mass surveillance program, 9/11 intelligence failures and multibillion-dollar fraud and waste. To tell his story, Drake first went through all the proper government procedures, but finally talked to a newspaper reporter after he believed all established whistleblower channels had failed. He was indicted by the Obama administration in 2010 under the Espionage Act and faced up to 35 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

He was indicted by the Obama administration in 2010 under the Espionage Act and faced up to 35 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Eventually, the case collapsed and Drake pleaded guilty to one minor misdemeanor count, with all other charges dropped. Here, he says there may be justification for the NSA reorganization, but he’s skeptical about what it would accomplish and the rushed timeline for implementation.