Presidents' Secrets

A “succinct and well-written” look at how presidents use secrecy to protect the nation, foster diplomacy—and gain power ( The Wall Street Journal ). Ever since the nation’s most important secret meeting—the Constitutional Convention—presidents have struggled to balance open, accountable government with necessary secrecy in military affairs and negotiations. For the first one hundred and twenty years, a culture of open government persisted, but new threats and technology have long since shattered