Where is the venue of this dinner? The photog may have snuck a candid pic from behind a column. But first where was the dinner? And let’s get some old photos from there.
TRUST can have a double meaning. For example, I trust certain enemies to stab me in the back if given a chance.
How many times have we heard POTUS tell the Fable of the snake that asks for a favor to hitch a ride. Half way across the snake bites its host and the host asks the snake, Why did you bite me? The snake replies, You knew I was a snake…
Trust a snake to be a snake.
Is it possible that we make the assumption that POTUS only appoints white hats to further the plan? Is it possible to intentionally appoint black hats, or leave some in place, to do exactly what you expect they would do? How are you going to get disinfo to the enemy if no one is there to overhear things, or to do things that are “questionable” (eg “beg the question)?
In spycraft, you sometimes leave the spy in place to give them disinfo or you turn them and force them to continue sending disinfo back to their handlers.
Many versions out there. The moral to the story pretty much the same.