The internet exploded late Friday afternoon when a highly-respected Washington Post photographer captured on camera notes held by Mike Lindell, the founder and CEO of My Pillow, one of the top advertisers on Fox News and a close confidant of President Donald Trump.
Lindell, according to the White House press pool, “was spotted outside the West Wing at 3 pm. He was on his cell phone at one point as he waited outside. The Marine let him inside at 3:05 pm.”
There is always a Marine stationed outside the Oval Office when the President is inside the Oval Office, but not when the President is not there.
The notes appear to mention “martial law,” a suggestion to move a dangerous Trump loyalist to the CIA as acting Director, the “Insurrection Act,” and something about “foreign interference in the election,” as Talking Points Memo reported.
Understandably, the Internet lit up like a Christmas tree, but with countless rumors, jokes, and concern.
All those aside, the question really is, would President Trump, who has less than five days left in office, actually fire the head of the CIA, and why? What would he hope to accomplish, do, or get away with if Gina Haspel were gone?
The other question of course is why would Trump listen to Lindell, a far right conspiracy theorist and religious extremist, but that question is unanswerable.
Here’s what some are saying.
CNN analyst, attorney, and former FBI Special Agent:
CNN White House correspondent:
Public advocacy firm:
Media Matters Senior Fellow:
Religion News Service national reporter:
Research director at CREW:
Economist and professor:
NBC News Reporter, “dystopia beat”: