Cyphers & Codes

(Cyphers & Codes)

One can begin this morning with offering a word for Pope Francis who is having raspatory issue.

In any study of cryptology, there is the "cypher," or the alphabet of information to be en-cyphered, and there are "codes," words derived from that cypher. A famous example would be Enigma used by German Armed Forces in the Second World War. Enigma was first broken by Polish cryptologists before being developed by British cryptographers at Bletchley Park. By the end of the War, Bletchley was reading Enigma regularly.


President Trump is a cypher. His is the "alphabet" in his Administration and the "codes" are the things and people Trump has set in motion. Kash Patel was just confirmed as FBI Director and that is all but a sweep of the President's Nominees. The "codes," therefore, are those leading the departments and while Trump has ultimate authority, how each director or secretary would have a certain independence.


The President is in his element. How he formulates his government will be determines on his precise blue-print. The same is applicable to his foreign affairs. Trump has two wars. There is some talk that the Ukraine could be resolved this week. Only Trump could make such a boast. But it keeps people guessing. He called President Zelenski a dictator but at the same time, is looking to secure a rare earth metal deal with Kiev.


In the end, the federal government is a business and Donald Trump is a businessman. The steps that the President has been taking reflect his acumen. But Trump is not an open book. He has stated goals, and he has his desired course. How he might get there is the open question.


Despite his reputation, how remarkable his trip back to the White House has been, the President is still human and all the terms being thrown around like so many man-hole covers, revolution, golden age and so on. Trump's reality is less sanguine. The President is a product of experience, with trials and not a few errors. That cumulative experience has shaped the President to the point where his identity is set. The challenge for all else is to "decipher" that.

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