Why did the Times publish details about the whistleblower's identity?



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On Thursday, the Times published exclusive details about the identity of the whistleblower whose claims led the Democrats to open a dismissal investigation against President Trump this week. (The article stated that the whistleblower was a C.I.A. regime officer who was previously called to work at the White House and who had expertise from Ukraine.)

Many readers, including people working in the fields of national security and intelligence, have criticized the Times' decision to publish the details, claiming that this would potentially put the life of this person at risk and could have a deterrent effect on potential whistleblowers.

We shared their concerns with Dean Baquet, editor of The Times, who responded in a discussion with the Reader Center:

The president and some of his supporters attacked the credibility of the whistleblower, who presented information that triggered a historic indictment procedure. The president himself has qualified the launcher's account for "hack policy work".

We decided to publish limited information about the whistleblower – especially about the fact that he works for a non-political agency and that his complaint is based on an intimate knowledge and understanding of the White House – because we wanted to provide readers with information that allows them to judge for themselves whether or not they are credible.

Your comments are welcome. We will read them.


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