Media and Trump Clash Yet Again?

It is highly well-known of Trump's firm resolution to obliterate the terrorist group, ISIS. Not only this, but our recently elected President also makes his distaste as well as mistrust for the media, or as he likes to call it, #fakenews, very clear. In this situation, the two highly controversial components of Trump's presidency were found addressed by him early this morning in a string of tweets.

Among his tweets, many found this to be most alarming. What does Trump mean behind this message? While hard to believe that a news source could have this great of an effect on a mission as severe as one concerning the terrorist threat, it surely appears so, judging by Trump's tweet.

Interestingly enough, in 2015, U.S. Intelligence was said to have infiltrated an ISIS compound in which Abu Sayyaf, a major player in ISIS gas and oil operations, was found. Killed in the operation, Sayyaf left behind his wife, who, when captured by U.S. forces, showed to carry a great deal of valuable information. However, at Friday's Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Attorney General Raymond Thomas mentioned that, unfortunately, a week after the instance in question, a prominent national newspaper leaked information about this and the lead was considered dead.

It can be inferred that the newspaper Thomas was alluding to was The New York Times. An article had been released called "A Raid on ISIS Yields a Trove on Intelligence", and claimed that the information obtained by intelligence during the operation concerned "how the organization's shadowy leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, operates and tries to avoid being tracked by coalition forces." With the information now publicized and exposed, this newly found trail could be deemed virtually useless. 

This very same Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is concerned in Trump's tweets from this morning. Although our President does not specify what the Times did to foil this plan (again?), it sure does give some cause to contemplate. Syrian and Russian officials claim that Baghdadi is dead, while others refuse to believe it until they've seen a body. From what I gather, Donald Trump seems to join the group of people that believe that Baghdadi remains alive. 

With the evidence given, as well as the still gaping holes of information left to fill, I was wondering what my classmates would make of this issue.

Here are some links to articles that I have used to gain understanding of the topic:

Trump accuses New York Times of foiling plot to kill ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

TRUMP TWEETS NEW YORK TIMES 'FOILED ATTEMPT' TO KILL ISIS LEADER—IS HE RIGHT?

Donald Trump Accuses New York Times of Foiling Attempt to Kill ISIS Leader


Discussion Questions:

• Do you stand with Trump in this conflict with the media, especially with the issue of them "exposing" something of this significance?
• Is his approach to this appropriate (by this, I mean tweeting about it)?
• If not, how should this be handled?
• Do you believe that this ISIS leader is, indeed, dead?