This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
Published on September 28, 2019, The New York Times reported that a CIA officer, once posted to the White House, had filed a complaint accusing President Trump of soliciting foreign interference in the 2020 US election.
The whistleblower, an expert on European issues and the political situation in Ukraine, had followed the proper channels in filing the complaint, working in consultation with specialized lawyers.
However, the publication of the whistleblower's details has sparked controversy, with some calling for the resignation of The New York Times' executive editor, Dean Baquet.
Defending the Decision ¶
Dean Baquet defended the decision to publish the whistleblower's details, stating that President Trump and his supporters had attacked the whistleblower's credibility, and that the publication of the information was aimed at allowing readers to 'make their own judgments about whether or not he is credible.'
Jon Marshall, a professor at Northwestern University's journalism school, noted that The New York Times was caught in a classical ethical dilemma, balancing the need to seek the truth with the need to minimize harm and protect sources.
Whistleblower's Identity ¶
Despite the controversy, Todd Gitlin, a professor of journalism at Columbia University, argued that the decision to publish the whistleblower's details was justified, as the whistleblower had likely taken precautions to protect himself.
However, Kathleen McClellan, Deputy Director for the Whistleblower and Source Protection Program at the ExposeFacts NGO, expressed concerns about the risks faced by whistleblowers from the intelligence community, who have no meaningful protection from retaliation.
