On May 9, 2017, President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, an Obama appointee, following requests by Comey for increased funds from the Justice Department to fund an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Aside from the rather obvious inference that the White House appears to have something to hide, whether said details are factually incriminating or would merely serve as bad press, the move is virtually Machiavellian in nature, and thus serves as a revelation into one of the most fundamental tenets of politics and personal relations: betrayal of one’s allegiances doesn’t automatically confer respect from the other side.
For those who are not as well-versed in the background of this developing story, James Comey is frequently cited as one of the pivotal players in the defeat of the Clinton campaign in the final days leading up to last November’s election. By publicly announcing his decision to open up an investigation into the potentially illicit nature of Clinton’s private emails, Comey added significant fuel to the existing fire created by the mass media surrounding Clinton’s trustworthiness. But what motivated Comey, an appointee of a Democratic administration, to finally (and seemingly strategically) open up this can of worms?
In The Prince, Machiavelli talks at great length about the notion that loyalty is ultimately hindered and occasionally overrode by self-interest, a force that lies at the heart of all rational decision making. Perhaps Comey had expected that Trump would ultimately win the election regardless of his actions, and thus initiated an action that would be deemed favorable to the next President, under the expectation that Trump would retain him as a result of this perceived favoritism. Alternatively, perhaps this was merely a maneuver to enshrine his and the FBI’s status as independent and powerful entities, reminiscent of the agency under J. Edgar Hoover. Either way, the decision was motivated in significant part by the preservation of personal power.
But to Trump, the FBI Director’s betrayal of the party that secured his initial nomination is a double-edged sword. On one hand, Comey’s timely actions during the latter phases of the presidential election cycle may have proved crucial to ensuring Trump’s victory. However, the same Machiavellian incentive to consolidate and maintain power that motivated Comey may have also led Trump to his ultimate decision to let him go. The very fact that Comey was willing to betray his apparent allegiances in securing greater power for himself, and thereby his agency, was also a signal to Trump that he would have no qualms betraying him as well. It seems that betrayal of one’s own side in performing an action that is seemingly favorable to the other side doesn’t earn greater respect from that side either, but rather increased scrutiny.
Interesting theory. I never thought about it from this angle. We'll see how things develop. The truth must come out!
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