New York Magazine - USA (2019-12-23)

december 23, 2019–january 5, 2020 | new york 9

Th e National Interest:

Jo nathan Chait

Donald Trump’s War

on Journalism

His attack on Amazon

may be his most egre-

PHOTOGRAPHS: LOU RADIN/ ALAMY (JEFF BEZOS), ZUMA PRESS (DONALD TRUMP), LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS (ARM), GETTY IMAGES (REMAINING)gious abuse of power yet.

Photo-illustration by Alicia Tatone

that president trump’s Ukraine policy led to articles of

impeachment against him was largely a matter of chance. A CIA

official decided to collect evidence that the administration’s for-

eign policy was being used as a domestic oppo-research shake-

down. The director of national intelligence suppressed the com-

plaint, but Congress managed to find out about it just before

Ukraine’s president was set to announce investigations into

Trump’s domestic opponents, improbably foiling the scheme.

This unlucky sequence explains Trump’s fixation on the whistle-

blower, but for whom Ukraine would be just another Trump scan-

dal sitting in plain sight. “Frankly,” a close Trump adviser recently

confided to CNN, “I think he’s a little surprised it’s the Ukraine

thing that’s done it.”

Another scandal, posing a far more dire threat, has unfolded

mostly in public without causing Trump the slightest discomfort,

let alone impeachment. According to a lawsuit filed this month,

inside: A taxonomy of online characters / Cooking with cool kids / A tipsy plan to save retail

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december23,2019–january5, 2020 | newyork 9

Th e NationalInterest:

Jo nathanChait

DonaldTrump’sWar

on Journalis

Hisattackon Amazon

may be his mostegre-

PHOTOGRAPHS: LOU RADIN/ ALAMY (JEFF BEZOS), ZUMA PRESS (DONALD TRUMP), LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS (ARM), GETTY IMAGES (REMAINING)gious abuse of power yet.

Photo-illustration by Alicia Tatone

thatpresidenttrump’sUkrainepolicy led to articles of

impeachmentagainsthimwaslargelya matter of chance. A CIA

officialdecidedtocollect evidencethat theadministration’s for-

eignpolicywasbeingusedasa domesticoppo-research shake-

down.Thedirectorofnationalintelligencesuppressed the com-

plaint,butCongressmanagedtofindoutabout it just before

Ukraine’spresidentwasset toannounceinvestigations into

Trump’sdomesticopponents,improbablyfoiling the scheme.

Thisunlucky sequenceexplainsTrump’sfixation on the whistle-

blower,butforwhomUkrainewouldbejust another Trump scan-

dalsittinginplainsight.“Frankly,”a closeTrump adviser recently

confidedtoCNN, “Ithinkhe’s a littlesurprised it’s the Ukraine

thingthat’s doneit.”

Anotherscandal,posinga farmoredirethreat, has unfolded

mostly in public without causing Trump the slightest discomfort,

let alone impeachment. According to a lawsuit filed this month,

inside: A taxonomy of online characters / Cooking with cool kids / A tipsy plan to save retail