The New York Times’ damning op-ed has attacked US President Donald Trump as "amoral" and "reckless". But the question everyone from Washington to Australia is asking – who is the anonymous “part of the Resistance” who penned the explosive piece?
Journalists, conspiracy theorists, politicians from both sides of politics - and even the president himself - have begun speculating on who the “senior official in the Trump administration” may be.
Some online commentators have suggested Vice-President Mike Pence because of his frequent use of the obscure word “lodestar” in public statements – a word that also appears in the op-ed.
“We may no longer have Senator McCain. But we will always have his example - a lodestar for restoring honour to public life and our national dialogue. Mr Trump may fear such honourable men, but we should revere them,” the piece reads.
Vice President Mike Pence. Did he pen the damning op-ed? Source: AP
#Lodestar is now trending as online would-be sleuths compile every time Mr Pence has ever uttered the word in public.
Audio producer Dan Bloom, who works for podcast company Panoply, pointed out the paragraph praising the late Senator McCain almost certainly didn’t come from senior White House advisor Stephen Miller or the president’s social media manager Dan Scavino because both are vocal McCain opponents.
Bloom tweeted that he had traced Mr Pence’s use of the word “lodestar” back as far as 2001.
But Business Insider quoted a White House official as saying leaking staffers typically copy other officials' idioms or phrases to deflect attention.
"To cover my tracks, I usually pay attention to other staffers' idioms and use that in my background quotes. That throws the scent off me," a White House staffer told Axios in May.’
Bloom has also discounted the possibility the piece was penned by Mr Pence’s long-time speechwriter, Stephen Ford.
“My speechwriter contact: "It’s possible Pence’s speechwriter authored it. But if so, I don’t think the speechwriter was speaking as him or herself. More likely, written on behalf of or with Pence,” he tweeted.
"Just too well written for a principal who likely has a hell of a lot more work on their plate than would allow for this to be produced within 24 hours of the Woodward news.”
US President Donald Trump is less than pleased with the ope-ed. Source: AAP
Others have suggested Director of National Intelligence and former diplomat Dan Coats, pointing out the elder statesman has little to lose. The conservative Republican was also reportedly miffed after Mr Trump spoke dismissively of him and the US intelligence community during his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Weekly Standard has also pointed out National Economic Council chairman Larry Kudlow, because as a traditionally minded Republican the comments about “effective deregulation, historic tax reform, a more robust military, and more” in the op-ed would match up with his Reagan era views.
US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coat is another option. Source: AAP
Coming back to the Lodestar link, several commentators have also pointed to prolific column writer and chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors Kevin Hassett who served as an advisor to the lodestar himself, Senator John McCain.
Lodestar - what does it mean?
The Lodestar theory was quickly turned into an internet meme.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s word of the day states lodestar is “a star that leads or guides, especially the north star; one that serves as an inspiration, model or guide”.
The dictionary said searches for the words “lodestar” and “amoral” have spiked following the op-ed’s publishing.
Amid all the online theories, the piece has already attracted the ire of the US President, with Mr Turmp tweeting “TREASON” before following it up with a more nuanced comment.
“Does the so-called “Senior Administration Official” really exist, or is it just the Failing New York Times with another phoney source? If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!” he tweeted.
The New York Times’ scathing anti-Donald Trump op-ed, which the paper attributed to “a senior official in the Trump administration,” has inspired a parlour game among people trying to figure out the author’s name.
The op-ed comes hot on the heels of reports about a book on the Trump White House by veteran journalist Bob Woodward, which reportedly includes the efforts of aids attempting to surreptitiously block the president when they believe he is acting dangerously.
