# Leaked report of Russian blackmail of Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 10, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846 "2017-01-10T23:59:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Grim\_Render](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@Grim\_Render](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Render)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/261 "2017-01-12T00:32:12Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Serious question: Why is it bad to please Putin but okay to shovel millions every year to regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar? Russias damage potential is massively higher. Not that supporting dictatorships is good even so, but the damage Quatar can do and the damage Russia can do is not in the same ballpark at all. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/262 "2017-01-12T00:52:35Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > FBI CIA NSA…CTU…OSI? The guys who made the Six Million Dollar Man, right? I’d tell you what all 17 are but, well, you know what would have to happen then… ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/263 "2017-01-12T01:10:59Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I bet they have evidence he’s fucked Ivanka. :rolleyes: And what exactly would such evidence consisted of? A sex tape? Ivanka’s therapy notes? A DNA test on one of her kids? > [@Bayard](#): > > …How does one blackmail Trump, by the way? Isn’t blackmail based on the premise that the victim will cave to the blackmailer’s demands to avoid embarrassment? Just how the fuck do you embarass Trump? What could _possibly_ cause his supporters to desert him or his opponents to have a lower opinion of him? Trump’s one berserk button is any suggestion that he’s not as rich as he says he is. When Comedy Central did his roast that was the one thing he declared off limits (by contrast he was fine with Ivanka jokes).. > [@Chefguy](#): > > …The State Department thoroughly indoctrinates young officers and staffers as to what to expect and what to look out for in terms of compromising situations. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if all of this about Trump is true, because he has had no security training and probably believes that his wealth protects him somehow. Am I only one confused at why the State Department would have the President stay in a bugged hotel in the first place? I’m sure the US Embassy, Moscow has nice guest quarters. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Not to worry, everyone – the Kremlin has [chimed in](https://twitter.com/markberman/status/819158009821663232), saying “The Kremlin does not engage in gathering compromising material”. > > This is very comforting, since it’s a very believable and not at all laughable statement. “Lying is forbidden in Iraq.” Whatever happened to old Baghdad Bob anyway? > [@Okrahoma](#): > > These impeachment fantasies are really signs of desperation. How can someone who can rub two neurons together not understand what an enormous stupid self-inflicted injury it would be on a political party to have the only successfully impeached President in modern history? I knew this is a nitpick, but both Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton were successfully impeached (they were also both Democrats). Neither was successfully removed from office. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/264 "2017-01-12T01:20:17Z")
FWIW, Glenn Greenwald thinks this is BS of the [highest and most dangerous odor.](https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/?comments=1#comments) ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/265 "2017-01-12T01:45:35Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > FWIW, Glenn Greenwald thinks this is BS of the [highest and most dangerous odor.](https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/?comments=1#comments) I think his point is sound, but also a bit late… by half a century or more. Only last week I was speculating that, should Trump’s relationship with Putin’s Russia be deemed a threat to national security, Trump would be taken out one way or another. Democracy in the U.S. has been a complete sham for a very long time, and whether or not it’s the CIA, the FBI or the FSB pulling the strings right now doesn’t really change that fact. (And again, I don’t believe there’s direct vote rigging–just that selective leaks, voter suppression, gerrymandering and so forth do the job well enough already.) So, would you rather have bad Americans or bad Russians determining the direction of your country? As an outsider, I’m pretty ambivalent. I’d just rather not have an emotionally stunted narcissist with no impulse control with his finger on the button. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/266 "2017-01-12T01:50:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Don’t laugh. There are 17 different spy agencies in the federal government. I’ll bet most people can’t name even 5. Please tell me the CTU is one of them. #JackBauerForPresident ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/267 "2017-01-12T01:53:15Z")
[Russian tech expert named in Trump report says US intelligence never contacted him](http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article125910774.html) Gubarev said he operated 75,000 servers across the globe and got real-time information if there had been hacking or illicit activity tied to his businesses. There is no evidence of that, he said, adding that no one has contacted him. “I have a physical office in Dallas. Nobody contacted me,” said Gubarev, adding that 40 percent of his business is handled over the servers it runs in Dallas and the United States accounts for about 27 percent of his global business. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/268 "2017-01-12T01:55:22Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Am I only one confused at why the State Department would have the President stay in a bugged hotel in the first place? I’m sure the US Embassy, Moscow has nice guest quarters. When the President is in a hotel, they build a secure facility _inside the room_ from which business is conducted. [This](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/03/president-obama-never-gets-a-room-with-a-view.html) is a photo of Obama having a secure briefing inside his hotel room at the Ritz Carleton in Moscow in 09. The same room mentioned in the memos (the article is from 2015 and doesn’t explain the photo but other sites which do explain it fail to load the image for me, so you get what you get). I don’t know how they handle personal time, but with bug sweeps, countermeasures, doing business inside the bubble, and the president being on his best behavior, the best someone might get is a nudie. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/269 "2017-01-12T01:58:49Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > FWIW, Glenn Greenwald thinks this is BS of the [highest and most dangerous odor.](https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/?comments=1#comments) Interesting article. On the other hand, it makes me think of the Turkish coup. In both cases, if we want to get our conspiracy theorist caps on, it seems like perfect timing of an easily crushed attack, to serve as justification for clearing out opponents. Do we know for sure that the document is the same one that the DNI sent over to Obama and Trump? Who took it to CNN? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/270 "2017-01-12T02:07:08Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > When the President is in a hotel, they build a secure facility _inside the room_ from which business is conducted. [This](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/03/president-obama-never-gets-a-room-with-a-view.html) is a photo of Obama having a secure briefing inside his hotel room at the Ritz Carleton in Moscow in 09. The same room mentioned in the memos (the article is from 2015 and doesn’t explain the photo but other sites which do explain it fail to load the image for me, so you get what you get). Ah, yes. The Cone of Silence! ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/271 "2017-01-12T05:32:06Z")
… and more walking back from the “intelligence community”. Can it be a bigger clusterf\*ck? Heads will roll. > **[Trump wasn't told about unverified Russia memo during intel briefing](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-cites-nazi-germany-rejects-dossier-alleged-russia-dealings-n705586)** > > The president-elect tweeted that 'Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA - NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!' "President-elect Donald Trump was not told about unverified reports that Russia has compromising information on him during last week’s intelligence briefing, according to a senior intelligence official with knowledge of preparations for the briefing. … “Intel and law enforcement officials agree that none of the investigations have found any conclusive or direct link between Trump and the Russian government period,” the senior official said. According to the senior official, the two-page summary about the unsubstantiated material made available to the briefers was to provide context, should they need it, to draw the distinction for Trump between analyzed intelligence and unvetted “disinformation.” The briefers also had available to them unvetted “disinformation” about the Clinton Foundation, although that was not orally shared with Trump." ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/272 "2017-01-12T05:36:18Z")
So, a day later and I think we have some lessons to learn. Namely that trump and his team are not the least bit ready to assume the job. First, let’s get the story straight. This started as CNN saying “Those unverified memos that have been floating around? Well, they briefed Trump on them for some reason.” Then Buzzfeed was all “Those memos CNN is talking about? Check it out, we gots 'em” This is not fake news. These are two perfectly valid stories, at least in a perfect world of sane, intelligent adults. Buzzfeed was probably trying to tap into some clickbait visits because that’s what they do, but if CNN generated interest in the memos, it’s legitimate to release them with a caveat about what they are, which they did. So, what are they? They’re a **raw** human intelligence product. This is what raw HUMINT looks like. It’s juicy and interesting and looks really major, but the next step is to investigate it and see what substance is really there. Even the things that are untrue have intel value because they may be part of a disinformation campaign meant to distract from something else. The guy who collected it decided someone in intel needed to look at it to see what’s up. This is all normal. It sure looks to me like it was included in the intel brief as a favor to trump. Sort of a “Hey man, this has been going around a while. Don’t be surprised if you get questions on it sometime soon.” Then it hits CNN a few days later and the shit hit the fan. And why did it hit the fan? Because trump and his crew freaked the fuck out and started yelling “it’s fake news, CNN’s a fake news site, I was never briefed on this, the intel community is leaking information to take me down! This is like Nazi Germany!” Wait a minute dumbass, number 1, the whole fucking story is that you were briefed on the memos so stop trying to make the story that you were not briefed on the memos. Oh, and if you could quit calling the intel community who went out of their way to brief you nazis, that’d be kinda nice. Number 2, it was probably someone in your band of cutthroat hacks that leaked it. And number 3, when your answer to everything is to invent conspiracy theories and start lashing out (always at the wrong target), it makes you look not only stupid, but also guilty… as… _hell_. It’s gonna be such a long year until he’s impeached (just let me have this and please don’t suggest it could be 4 full years or, gasp, even eight!). ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/273 "2017-01-12T05:40:40Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > First, let’s get the story straight. This started as CNN saying “Those unverified memos that have been floating around? Well, they briefed Trump on them for some reason.” Except Trump was not briefed on them. And the reason they were included in the documents (but not shown to Trump at the briefing) was as an example of “unvetted **disinformation** ”. > [@](#): > > Wait a minute dumbass, number 1, the whole fucking story is that you were briefed on the memos so stop trying to make the story that you were not briefed on the memos. See the NBC story I quoted a couple of posts ago. He was NOT briefed on the memos. As usual in the cases of “Trump is doomed” hysteria, this ends up with Trump benefiting and his detractors failing miserably. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/274 "2017-01-12T05:55:10Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Except Trump was not briefed on them. And the reason they were included in the documents (but not shown to Trump at the briefing) was as an example of “unvetted **disinformation** ”. > See the NBC story I quoted a couple of posts ago. He was NOT briefed on the memos. If that turns out to be true (how come your unnamed sources are always good as gold but anyone’s else’s are fake news?) he’s still an idiot for not spending 12 seconds to find out the truth and dealing with it like an adult instead of spending 24 hours on conspiracy theory rants. > [@Okrahoma](#): > > As usual in the cases of “Trump is doomed” hysteria, this ends up with Trump benefiting and his detractors failing miserably. I fail to see how he benefits from acting like a fool. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/275 "2017-01-12T06:01:26Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > I fail to see how he benefits from acting like a fool. I bet you failed to see how he benefits in the dozens of previous “he is doomed!!!1!” incidents as well. You really don’t see how discrediting main stream media (yes, it is CNN and Buzzfeed mostly, but you know what it looks like to those who are not political junkies) as purveyors of made-up anti-Trump “unvetted disinformation” (or “crap” as it is colloquially known) benefits Trump? You didn’t see Acosta sitting down quietly like a good boy after being upbraided publicly at the press conference? You don’t see Trump’s “conflicts of interest” being completely ignored even after the press conference that was supposed to be dedicated to them (and wasn’t) because of the frenzy over the fake “golden showers” news? ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/276 "2017-01-12T06:01:39Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I can’t see France wanting a war with both Putin and Trump to protect Ukraine. Ukraine is not part of NATO so France is not obligated to protect the Ukraine. The real test will be if the core Western countries will honor their NATO commitments if Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are attacked. Unfortunately I think we’re going to find this out in the next 4 years. Putin is going to bet that his buddy Trump and the “soft” western european countries won’t really risk a nuclear war for the Baltic states. ---
**Author:** ![CatandMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@CatandMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatandMouse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/277 "2017-01-12T06:02:05Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Except Trump was not briefed on them. And the reason they were included in the documents (but not shown to Trump at the briefing) was as an example of “unvetted **disinformation** ”. > See the NBC story I quoted a couple of posts ago. He was NOT briefed on the memos. > > As usual in the cases of “Trump is doomed” hysteria, this ends up with Trump benefiting and his detractors failing miserably. That’s odd, because USA Today says Trump was briefed. \*\*The official who is not authorized to comment publicly, said that the document was provided along with the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia had meddled in the U.S. election. The separate document presented to the president-elect represented a summary of a much larger 35-page compilation of documents prepared by a former foreign intelligence officer. The officer, the official said, is known to U.S. intelligence, but the contents of the specific contents of the document have not been verified.\*\* > **[Intel chiefs briefed Trump, Obama on unverified, salacious allegations...](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/10/russian-hacking-cnn-information-election-trump/96414062/)** > > Russian spies may have acquired compromising information about President-elect Donald Trump. Here’s what CNN is reporting. \*\*(CNN)Classified documents presented last week to President Obama and President-elect Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump, multiple US officials with direct knowledge of the briefings tell CNN. The classified briefings last week were presented by four of the senior-most US intelligence chiefs – Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers.\*\* > **[Intel chiefs presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him...](https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/donald-trump-intelligence-report-russia/)** > > Classified documents presented last week to President Obama and President-elect Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump, multiple US officials with direct... ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/278 "2017-01-12T06:07:40Z")
> [@CatandMouse](#): > > That’s odd, because USA Today says Trump was briefed. > > Here’s what CNN is reporting. … and what USA Today and CNN reported (notice the dates: two days ago) was wrong. As I showed with the [NBC article](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-cites-nazi-germany-rejects-dossier-alleged-russia-dealings-n705586) dated today. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/279 "2017-01-12T06:17:31Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > … and what USA Today and CNN reported (notice the dates: two days ago) was wrong. As I showed with the [NBC article](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-cites-nazi-germany-rejects-dossier-alleged-russia-dealings-n705586) dated today. Conflicting reports doesn’t mean the on you favor is correct. Even if it’s more recent. I’d like to see more evidence than “an unidentified official”. Give it a day or two to sort itself out. ---
**Author:** ![CatandMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@CatandMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatandMouse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846/280 "2017-01-12T06:19:01Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > … and what USA Today and CNN reported (notice the dates: two days ago) was wrong. As I showed with the [NBC article](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/trump-cites-nazi-germany-rejects-dossier-alleged-russia-dealings-n705586) dated today. The CNN article says it was updated at 8:23 PM ET, Wed January 11, 2017 _ **Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include new information.** _ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaked-report-of-russian-blackmail-of-trump/776846.md?page=15)