Trump’s Intelligence Crisis: From Five Eyes to Four?

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Helsinki in 2018.Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP file

The Trump Intelligence Crisis

As Trump dismantles U.S. counterintelligence and counterterrorism capabilities, America faces an unprecedented national security threat. At the same time, his parroting of Kremlin propaganda—blaming Ukraine for Russia’s genocidal war and calling for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s removal, labeling him a “dictator”—has sent shockwaves across Europe, raising serious concerns about the future of U.S. foreign policy. Adding to this, Trump’s severing of intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, revoking access to satellite imagery, slashing military aid, and deepening alignment with Russia have left European allies shaken, forcing them to reconsider their relationship with the United States.

As a result, multiple reports indicate that European and British officials fear Trump’s actions signal an irreversible shift in U.S. foreign policy, aligning Washington with Moscow at the expense of democratic allies. Consequently, allied nations are now reconsidering their intelligence-sharing agreements with the U.S., a move that would severely undermine American security—an outcome directly driven by Trump and the Republican Party.

America in the Blind: How Trump is Destroying U.S. Alliances

For many decades, America’s intelligence dominance was built on a foundation of alliances. The Five Eyes—comprising the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—has been one of the most robust intelligence-sharing partnerships. Beyond that, close collaboration with Israel, Saudi Arabia, NATO, and other Western allies has kept the U.S. informed about global threats, from terrorist plots to Russian and Iranian cyber warfare, and kept America safe.

Trump’s fealty to Putin is shattering U.S. intelligence alliances. Last week, NBC News reported that key allies are considering scaling back intelligence sharing, fearing Trump will leak sensitive data to the Kremlin. The Mail on Sunday revealed that British intelligence officials now see Trump as a direct threat, with one senior source stating, “We can't risk sharing intelligence with the United States now.” In response to Trump blocking intelligence to Ukraine, the U.K. is considering a ‘Four Eyes’ alliance without the U.S.

Former British ambassador Sir David Manning confirmed Trump is making intelligence-sharing “more difficult,” raising fears about the long-term viability of the U.S.-U.K. special relationship.

Pouring fuel on the fire, Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio ignited a fight with Poland, one of America’s closest allies. Musk’s threats to cut off Starlink in Ukraine—followed by his insult calling Poland’s foreign minister a “small man”—along with Rubio’s dismissive remarks toward Foreign Minister Sikorski, have only heightened concerns. In response, Poland threatened to reconsider its contract with Starlink and begin exploring alternative suppliers—another damaging blow to U.S. credibility under Trump’s leadership.

This shift is a national security nightmare. When allies no longer trust the U.S. with intelligence, America loses its ability to preempt threats. If the next 9/11-style attack happens, it will be because critical warnings were withheld out of fear that Trump would leak them to foreign adversaries—like Russia.

Trump’s Cozy Relationship with Russia Undermines Counterintelligence

Trump’s unwavering praise of Putin and refusal to hold Russia accountable for its genocidal war in Ukraine, election interference, assassinations, and cyberattacks have set off alarm bells not only in Western security circles but domestically. Under his regime, intelligence agencies are being gutted, and counterintelligence efforts against Russian operatives are being deprioritized. Meanwhile, the FBI and other critical agencies are preoccupied with passing Trump’s loyalty tests and keeping their jobs rather than actively monitoring threats.

The danger is clear, and without robust counterintelligence operations, Russia— and other U.S. adversaries— will have free rein to infiltrate U.S. institutions, recruit assets, and conduct influence campaigns without consequence. If allies limit intelligence sharing, America will be left in the dark, unable to detect emerging threats.

Adding to these concerns is Trump’s appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, despite widespread alarm over her pro-Kremlin rhetoric and alignment with Moscow’s foreign policy interests. Her position raises serious fears about Russian influence infiltrating the highest levels of U.S. intelligence.

Meanwhile, Musk and Trump continue to dismantle national security infrastructure and weaken America’s defenses. The New York Times recently reported that the U.S. no longer classifies Russia as a primary cybersecurity threat, leaving the country vulnerable to devastating cyberattacks. Adding to this, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia—despite Russia’s consistent targeting of sensitive infrastructure, nuclear power plants, hospitals, and other critical systems— effectively giving the Kremlin a free pass to escalate its cyber warfare without consequence.

Trump's Plan to Bring Russian Spies Back to the U.S.

As if all this weren’t enough, Trump is now negotiating the return of expelled Russian diplomats to the U.S., many of whom are likely spies. The New York Times reported that U.S. and Russian officials recently met in Istanbul to discuss reversing past expulsions and reopening diplomatic facilities—moves that would restore Moscow’s diminished espionage network inside the U.S.

The renewed access, combined with Trump’s courtship of Putin, would be another gift to the Kremlin at a time when Russian espionage against the West is brazen and deadly.

Trump’s Reckless Incitement and Dangerous Foreign Policy

Beyond dismantling intelligence-sharing mechanisms, Trump is actively inciting global instability. His threats to annex Gaza and his unpredictable foreign policy moves are making the U.S. a bigger target for terrorism.

Historically, American presidents have relied on diplomacy, intelligence coordination, and military deterrence to keep adversaries at bay. Trump’s approach—gutting alliances, attacking NATO partners, and embracing dictators—ensures that when crises emerge, America will stand alone.

The Coming Security Nightmare

If Trump continues his anti-intelligence, anti-alliance agenda, the fallout will be disastrous. These are just a few examples of the devastating consequences.

Terrorist Threats — Reduced intelligence-sharing will make it easier for terrorist organizations to plan and execute attacks without detection.

Cyber Warfare Vulnerabilities — Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and other adversaries will exploit intelligence gaps to launch cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure.

Foreign Asset Compromise — Without secure intelligence channels, the identities of foreign informants working with the U.S. could be exposed, leading to assassinations and the collapse of crucial networks.

America Must Wake Up

Trump and his enablers are jeopardizing national security to serve their personal and political interests. The United States cannot afford to abandon its intelligence networks or alienate its allies. If Trump is allowed to continue dismantling America’s security architecture, the country will be left vulnerable to threats it can no longer see coming. If Republicans don’t rein him in—which they won’t—we will inevitably face attacks both at home and abroad, with devastating consequences for U.S. security and global stability.