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Title: Trump Attempts to Strengthen the Deep State by Weakening Surveillance Oversight Agency

In a significant blow for transparency and accountability, President Trump is going after one of the federal government's primary internal watchdogs.

Title: Trump Attempts to Strengthen the Deep State by Weakening Surveillance Oversight Agency

In his presidential campaign, Donald Trump frequently vowed to wage war against the so-called "deep state." With 56 promises to "destroy the deep state" under his belt, one would expect a vigorous assault once Trump returned to the White House. However, there's scant evidence suggesting that he's following through on these commitments. Contrarily, Trump's first order of business upon re-entering office was to attack a privacy and civil liberties watchdog - a notable exception to the government entities tasked with monitoring the powerful U.S. surveillance agencies.

The New York Times exposed that Trump endeavored to "paralyze" the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), an independent agency that was established in 2004 after the 9/11 terror attacks. The PCLOB, a bipartisan organization with three seats occupied by Democratic appointees and one by a Republican, aims to strike a balance between terrorism prevention and safeguarding privacy and civil liberties.

In a striking turn of events, Trump's deputy director of presidential personnel, Trent Morse, reportedly demanded resignation letters from the three Democrats on the board by January 23, 2021, or face termination. The Republican appointee was not asked to leave. As a result, the departure of the Democratic members would render the agency incapable of functioning with its required three-member quorum.

While the PCLOB had been criticized for operating ineffectively, it was still recognized as a crucial measure to keep tabs on the U.S.'s surveillance agencies. After the Edward Snowden revelations, for instance, the PCLOB published a report that concluded the legal basis for the NSA's domestic spying program was insufficient. Unfortunately, it took the leak of classified information for the board to form this conclusion.

In 2021, the PCLOB released a classified report revealing a domestic surveillance program by the CIA, known as "Deep Dive." The CIA's involvement in domestic surveillance raises legal questions, given that it's technically prohibited from conducting activities within U.S. borders. Despite the report's secrecy, news of the program reached Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), who subsequently brought it to the public's attention. Since then, information about "Deep Dive" remains scarce.

Unfortunately, America's intelligence agencies have limited regulations, making it hard to curtail potential misconduct. Similarly, the oversight committees evaluating these entities have faced criticism for being passive confidants rather than active monitors of their tasks. These scandals, involving significant criminal activity, sparked the creation of the oversight committees in the 1970s.

In a potentially alarming move, Trump seems to be dismantling one of the few checks and balances for the U.S.'s spy agencies. Moreover, oversight committees have frequently been chastised for acting as passive bystanders instead of investigating their assigned tasks with vigor.

Following the disclosure of the CIA's domestic surveillance program "Deep Dive," it became clear that there was a need for robust oversight. In light of this, it's crucial that we invest in future technological solutions to enhance the capabilities of these oversight committees and ensure accountability in the use of tech and tech-based surveillance methods.

Regrettably, the disbandment of the PCLOB could significantly weaken the future of tech-related accountability and oversight, potentially leading to a power imbalance between the surveillance agencies and the public they are meant to protect.

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