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| Paul Oestreicher |
When I taught strategic communication at NYU, I emphasized a principle that is more misunderstood than ever: always be honest, but don’t assume you must disclose everything. Honesty is an ethical duty; openness is a matter of judgment.
That distinction matters in politics, business and daily life. It is even more crucial in government, where leaders handle private, sensitive or consequential information. Public officials should tell the truth, but avoid revealing everything on impulse.
Donald Trump has long blurred that line. He and his defenders equate indiscriminate disclosure with authenticity, as if speaking publicly automatically makes a statement honest, brave or transparent. It does not. Recklessness is not candor, and indiscretion is not openness. Neither deserves applause.
Two recent episodes highlight this issue. They are not merely examples of poor taste or sloppy leadership; they reflect a deeper confusion about the true nature of honesty.
Earlier this spring, Trump publicly disclosed highly personal medical information about Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida. He said Dunn had been told he would be “dead by June.” Speaker Mike Johnson quickly cut in: “OK, that wasn’t public.” Reports confirmed Trump had revealed information that had not been public before.
The issue is not whether Trump was factually correct. Even if he was, the disclosure is not admirable. A president does not become more truthful by exposing someone else’s private medical crisis; doing so shows a lack of restraint, empathy and judgment—not honesty. Telling the truth does not grant a license to violate every boundary.
The second example is more troubling because it involved military operations. At a White House briefing on the rescue of a downed American airman in Iran, Trump asked Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine how many personnel had participated. Caine tried to prevent disclosure, responding, “I’d love to keep that a secret, Mr. President.” Trump persisted, saying it involved “hundreds and hundreds” of people. Media outlets described the exchange and the concerns about revealing sensitive operational details.
Again, the problem is not lying but rather the performance of candor without the discipline required of real leadership. The public deserves to know why a military action was taken, whether it was lawful, what it cost, the risks, and the possible outcomes. That does not mean, however, that a president should brush aside a general seeking to protect sensitive details in real time.
This is where the conversation often goes astray. Transparency does not mean total disclosure. The government should be open about decisions, motives, policies and the use of power, but it should not treat privacy, confidentiality, or security as expendable. Mature honesty requires discretion.
We recognize this principle in every serious aspect of life. A doctor is expected to tell the truth without exposing a patient’s private condition. A lawyer must be candid without violating privilege. A friend should be honest without betraying a confidence just to appear blunt or “authentic.” The same standard should apply in public office: not every fact belongs on a podium, in a briefing room, or in a president’s improvisation.
Trump’s admirers often mistake his lack of filter for proof of authenticity. When he speaks impulsively, they label it as courage. When he is indiscreet, they interpret it as transparency. However, honesty is not about the volume or frequency of disclosure—it rests on whether what is said is true, responsible and appropriate for the moment.
That was the lesson I tried to teach my students. As a country, we must reclaim it. Truth matters, and so does judgment. In public life, truth without judgment is not integrity—it is carelessness masquerading as virtue.
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Paul Oestreicher, PhD, is a trusted advisor and mentor known for strategic communications, thought leadership development, crisis and reputation management and third-party relationship building. He is the author of "Camelot, Inc.: Leadership and Management Insights from King Arthur and the Round Table." You can follow him on Threads @pauloestreicher.
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