Who Wrote The Anonymous ‘Resistance’ Op-Ed In ‘The New York Times’?

After the publication of an extraordinary op-ed in the New York Times on Wednesday, describing a “resistance” against President Donald Trump within his own administration, everyone wants to know who the author is.

“I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration: I work for the president but like-minded colleagues and I have vowed to thwart parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.”

The column sent tremors through the West Wing and launched a frantic guessing game. According to the Washington Post, aides were analyzing language patterns to try to discern the author’s identity or at a minimum the part of the administration where the author works.

The word “lodestar” set off a wave of speculations across social media. In the essay, the author hails the late Arizona Senator John McCain as “a lodestar for restoring honor to public life and our national dialogue.” This isn’t a common word everyone use but several sources mentioned that Vice President Mike Pence used it in his speeches and statements.

Pence’s communications director rejected on Thursday that the vice president is behind the op-ed, saying the Times should be “ashamed” and the vice president puts his name on his opinions.

Several other prominent administration members also denied to be the author. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “It’s not mine.” Director of National Security Dan Coats, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Housing Secretary Ben Carson, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and budget director Mick Mulvaney have all issued denias.

“The problem for the president is it could be so many people,” said one administration official told The Washington Post. “You can’t rule it down to one person. Everyone is trying, but it’s impossible.”

Times editorial page editor James Bennet declined to provide further information about the writer’s position or identity. He said the newspaper “would not have been able to publish” the column if it had not granted anonymity to its author.

Article by Steven Abendroth