Officials Stunned

The insult hit like a slap, sharp and unmistakable, and everyone in the room heard it. It wasn’t muttered under someone’s breath or disguised as sarcasm. It landed clean, direct, and public. A top official—cornered, visibly frustrated, and running out of patience—lost control for just a second too long. In front of colleagues, advisers, and staff, he snapped and called his counterpart a “jerk.” The word hung in the air, heavier than it should have been, amplified by the silence that followed.