Opinion: Why we should stop expecting Trump to be honest

Northwestern Now: Summaries

As scrutiny intensifies about the Trump administration’s possible ties to Russia, the obvious answer would be for the White House to disclose completely all pertinent information—the kind of radical transparency that might end the uncertainty and help build trust. But in today’s political environment, such transparency carries a heavy cost for any politician, regardless of party affiliation or background.Instead of building trust, complete transparency can leave even the most ethical politicians exposed to the negative implications of revealing information that can be turned into ammunition for partisans on the other side. For Trump in particular, complete transparency could backfire by amplifying suspicion and further escalating calls for his impeachment on allegations of obstructing justice, accepting gifts from foreign powers, or treason.Among the latest developments in the Russia story is the Senate Judiciary Committee’s intention to call Donald Trump Jr. and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort to testify about their meetings with the Russians during the campaign. Trump Jr.’s attendance of the meeting and his “massaging” of the details about what was discussed have amped up suspicions around possible election interference.This led The Wall Street Journal editorial board, referencing investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller and the House and Senate intelligence committees, to ask the Trump administration to pursue a policy of “radical transparency.” That logic argues for a policy of disclosing every document and email to the House and Senate committees, to the press, and to the public.RelatedBut being transparent is not as simple as it seems. Nobody is perfect, so any real transparency effort will inevitably expose both the good and the bad. A person or organization will be transparent only if they trust that those gaining access to information will not use it unfairly against them. This is why, in human relationships, we’re “radically transparent” only with ...

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