# Why haven't there been more document leaks on Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 17, 2019, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105 "2019-05-17T08:43:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/1 "2019-05-17T08:43:28Z")
How come there have been so few leaks of documents implicating That Man in the White House? By now, shouldn’t we have seen federal tax returns? NY state tax returns? The redacted parts of the Mueller Report? Those are just the major ones we know of - just imagine all those we don’t know about. Even for those incriminating documents that are under White House control, I’m surprised not to see more of them, as this president makes enemies out of so many of his underlings. So what’s happening? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/2 "2019-05-17T10:07:20Z")
How’s an amazing possibility…they aren’t as incriminating as hoped… ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/3 "2019-05-17T12:15:35Z")
Another possibility: People whose jobs provide access to such documents take their job responsibilities (aka confidentiality) seriously? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/4 "2019-05-17T12:32:15Z")
What could possibly be leaked that would make a difference to Republicans and force them to change their minds about Trump? What has already been leaked(and already publicly known) would have prevented any other person from being nominated, let alone elected. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/5 "2019-05-17T12:52:00Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Another possibility: People whose jobs provide access to such documents take their job responsibilities (aka confidentiality) seriously? And/or afraid. It’s very easy to say “someone should have leaked”. It’s also very easy for people who have such access to do the same in the form of “why should it be me risking my job and career, someone else should leak”. And I’m talking about taxes here. What kind of incriminating documents are you expecting exists in the White House of a man who doesn’t think lawyers should take notes and whose issues with actual governing principles are already out in the open? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/6 "2019-05-17T12:56:18Z")
It all boils down to, if what has already been revealed about Trump hasn’t convinced you, then you don’t _want_ to be convinced and/or you support what he is and what he does because you think that makes you some sort of “winner-by-proxy”. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/7 "2019-05-17T13:23:43Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Another possibility: People whose jobs provide access to such documents take their job responsibilities (aka confidentiality) seriously? Yeah, this. If the “Deep State” conspiracy theories Trump has been pushing for the last two years had any basis in truth, he’d have been swamped with leaks by now. But the truth is, the vast majority of Federal Employees really are loyal to the United States, and feel doing their job to the best of their ability is important. And part of that job is supporting the elected leaders in implementing policies that the politicians were elected to carry out, even if you think those policies are bone-headedly stupid. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/8 "2019-05-17T15:45:13Z")
How much more is there to leak that the orange idiot himself hasn’t already posted on twitter? Approximately 40% of the country would not care if he shot someone in broad day light on 5th avenue. I suspect it would only serve to further cement their support. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/9 "2019-05-17T15:53:10Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > How’s an amazing possibility…they aren’t as incriminating as hoped… This makes no sense. If the documents exonerate Trump, what motive does the Trump administration have for keeping them hidden? The fact that the Trump administration is working so hard to keep them out of public view is incredibly strong evidence that they contain information which would hurt Trump. The best case scenario is that they would confirm existing rumors and would damage Trump’s reputation. But it’s possible they contain evidence that would prove that Trump has committed crimes or that they contain information about scandals that are still unknown to the public. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/10 "2019-05-17T16:19:16Z")
My theory is that everything that can be legally released is being released; that Trump wouldn’t release his receipt for his last fast food purchase without a fight (remember all that junk food he bought for that reception and claimed to pay for out of his own pocket?); and the bureaucrats who have access to his records take their jobs seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/11 "2019-05-17T18:08:31Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > …the truth is, the vast majority of Federal Employees really are loyal to the United States, and feel doing their job to the best of their ability is important. And part of that job is supporting the elected leaders in implementing policies that the politicians were elected to carry out, even if you think those policies are bone-headedly stupid. Sure, some would argue that loyalty to one’s country means keeping your head down and doing your job, come what may. I’m glad that Daniel Ellsberg and others like him took the opposite tack. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel\_Ellsberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Ellsberg) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/12 "2019-05-17T18:21:36Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > My theory is that everything that can be legally released is being released; that Trump wouldn’t release his receipt for his last fast food purchase without a fight If I’m following you correctly, you’re saying Trump conceals everything - even stuff the reflects well on him. Which would mean that Donald Trump is a modest man who has a sense of privacy and no interest in making himself look good. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Okay, seriously. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/13 "2019-05-23T01:17:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > If I’m following you correctly, you’re saying Trump conceals everything - even stuff the reflects well on him. Which would mean that Donald Trump is a modest man who has a sense of privacy and no interest in making himself look good. Another possibility is he knows there’s nothing there, but he’s strategically fighting to make it look like something is there to waste time and make the opposition look foolish when the truth comes out. It’s a low-probability option, but then so was his winning in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![chaidragonfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@chaidragonfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaidragonfire)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/14 "2019-05-26T13:40:59Z")
Because, as the Demonrats and Libtardz are finding out from their falsified witch hunts… there’s nothing there TO leak!!! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/15 "2019-05-26T14:48:18Z")
> [@chaidragonfire](#): > > Because, as the Demonrats and Libtardz are finding out from their falsified witch hunts… > > there’s nothing there TO leak!!! You haven’t been paying attention. His own administration leaks like a broken toilet. Mueller reports cites at least 10 instances of obstruction. Every request for information is being denied and stonewalled. For an administration that has nothing to hide, they sure are spending an awful lot of time and effort to hide everything. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/16 "2019-05-26T16:39:37Z")
> [@chaidragonfire](#): > > Because, as the Demonrats and Libtardz are finding out from their falsified witch hunts… > > there’s nothing there TO leak!!! Do not use variants of x-tard in this forum. Welcome to the Straight Dope. I recommend you familiarize yourself with the rules of the board, and each forum you post in. Forum specific rules are posted as a sticky at the top of each forum. Rules for the board are posted as a sticky in the ATMB forum. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/17 "2019-05-27T05:45:08Z")
Because the Democrats are the ones who have requested the documents now, and they are much better at doing their job. Before it was always Republicans or Republican-appointed bureaucrats doing the leaking. Plus you leak more when you feel more powerless, to try and get the people on your side. If you have power to deal with stuff without the people, you don’t need to leak. A lot of the leaks were strategic, leaking how bad Trump is because people wanted Trump to be stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-there-been-more-document-leaks-on-trump/834105/18 "2019-05-27T12:06:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > This makes no sense. If the documents exonerate Trump, what motive does the Trump administration have for keeping them hidden? Furthermore, if the documents painted Trump in a good light, he’d be leaking them _himself_. Remember the singular tax document we \*finally \*saw a while back? Trump desperately needs a social win- he needs to look good, and if there was anything hidden in his personal info which would give him that, he’d have someone surreptitiously release them.