# Trump associates may have coordinated with Russians, according to US officials **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 23, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799 "2017-03-23T00:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 69
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1363 "2017-07-19T16:23:53Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I love the “met secretly with Putin” part. Yes, “secretly”. In view of all G20 leaders, their wives and press photographers. But “secretly”. > > Stupidity squared. And yet you keep defending the real stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1364 "2017-07-19T16:30:20Z")
Trump Derangement Syndrome is what his supporters and defenders are suffering from. You’ve got it backwards. How else do you explain how many of his supporters do not believe that Don Jr. went to that meeting with the Russians when he actually openly admits going to the meeting? [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-jr-russian-meeting-poll-majority-supporters-dont-believe-it-happened-despite-son-admitting-it-a7847636.html](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-jr-russian-meeting-poll-majority-supporters-dont-believe-it-happened-despite-son-admitting-it-a7847636.html) Denying reality the way Trump supporters do is what is deranged. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1365 "2017-07-19T16:30:21Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I love the “met secretly with Putin” part. Yes, “secretly”. In view of all G20 leaders, their wives and press photographers. But “secretly”. As long as people could see them, I guess it’s no big deal that nobody could hear what they were telling each other. > [@Okrahoma](#): > > Stupidity squared. Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1366 "2017-07-19T16:31:14Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > It was at a dinner table [Which they had left for about an hour.](http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/07/trump-putin-second-undisclosed-meeting) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1367 "2017-07-19T16:33:15Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > It was at a dinner table, attended by all G20 leaders, their wives, and a gaggle of press photographers. Are you not aware of that? How in the world can that be characterized as a “secret meeting” by anyone other than a Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferer? It’s not like Trump is keeping secrets from everyone. He let Russian government officials hear what he had to say. It’s only the American government he’s keeping secrets from. But you’re okay with that. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1368 "2017-07-19T16:33:59Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > No, I don’t. Neither do you. Neither do you know that nothing untoward went on when [Obama was talking to Medvedev](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/03/26/world/26prexy2_cnd/26prexy2_cnd-blog480-v2.jpg). > > Oh you do know. Because a [hot mic caught it](http://www.weeklystandard.com/obama-to-russia-after-my-election-i-have-more-flexibility/article/634473). But notice - no one other than Obama there from the US side. Did that bother you? If someone releases audio of Trump’s conversation with Putin, I think everyone will be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1369 "2017-07-19T16:35:49Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > No, I don’t. Neither do you. Neither do you know that nothing untoward went on when [Obama was talking to Medvedev](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/03/26/world/26prexy2_cnd/26prexy2_cnd-blog480-v2.jpg). For the purposes of my question, I gave Trump the benefit of the doubt (which he hasn’t earned, mind you) that it is 100% on the up and up. If that’s the case, knowing the optics you would have to be incredibly stupid to have this meeting the way he did. Assuming that Trump has a modicum of intelligence that having a personal meeting with no other Americans around is going to look really, really bad, it is logical to assume that the meeting, and its associated secrecy, was very important. Similar to hiding tax returns, the only reason to do it is if releasing them is even worse. Trump needed to say something in secret to Putin, and he was willing to risk the terrible optics to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Falchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Falchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falchion)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1370 "2017-07-19T16:36:31Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Which they had left for about an hour.](http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/07/trump-putin-second-undisclosed-meeting) Does your cite say that they left the dinner for an hour to have a meeting? ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1371 "2017-07-19T16:36:32Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Which they had left for about an hour.](http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/07/trump-putin-second-undisclosed-meeting) FCOL can’t you read? No, they didn’t. It was right there, at the table. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1372 "2017-07-19T16:39:55Z")
Well, if it wasn’t secret, howcum we don’t know what they talked about? I’d sure like to know, sure most folks here would like to know, but we don’t. Because he won’t tell us. But that’s not “secret”? Well, is it “Secret Lite”? ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1373 "2017-07-19T16:40:27Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Assuming that Trump has a modicum of intelligence that having a personal meeting with no other Americans around is going to look really, really bad, it is logical to assume that the meeting, and its associated secrecy, was very important. What “secrecy”? It was at a dinner table. In full view of all the G20 leaders and their photographers. There was no one from the US at the dinner other than Trump, Melania and Trump’s **Japanese** interpreter. Should he have invited that interpreter to his conversation with Putin? This whole thing is a perfect example of just how deep Trump Derangement Syndrome goes. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1374 "2017-07-19T16:44:40Z")
OK, it wasn’t secret, and you know all about what they said! Great! Tell us. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1375 "2017-07-19T16:47:29Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > FCOL can’t you read? No, they didn’t. It was right there, at the table. > [@Falchion](#): > > Does your cite say that they left the dinner for an hour to have a meeting? No. Nor does it say they were sitting at the table. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1376 "2017-07-19T16:55:11Z")
[Ian Bremmer on “All Things Considered”](http://www.npr.org/2017/07/18/537993059/ian-bremmer-trump-putin-held-second-meeting-at-g-20-summit): > [@](#): > > It was clear that they were very much closer to each other than Trump is with any of his allies at the meeting, which I think is why they found it so disconcerting - and also the fact that it lasted roughly an hour, which I mean - the dinner itself was quite long. It was about three and a half hours. But still, you know, that’s a substantial meeting and especially on the back of the over-two-hour formal meeting they had before that. And the only person that knows what was discussed is the translator aside from the two principals. > > :snip: > > \*f it had been a five-minute step-aside, that happens all the time. But I think both the unique context of the American president, the unique context of the American president’s relationship with Putin as well as the actual facts here - I think create quite a story that we will have to get to the bottom of. ---
**Author:** ![Falchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Falchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falchion)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1377 "2017-07-19T16:56:35Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > No. Nor does it say they were sitting at the table. 🙂 Ok. So your cite doesn’t support your claim. Fair enough. (I know that we’re outraged, but I can’t even figure out what was alleged to have happened). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1378 "2017-07-19T17:00:36Z")
> [@Falchion](#): > > Ok. So your cite doesn’t support your claim. Fair enough. Just being facetious. Mr. Bremmer up there can help with the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1379 "2017-07-19T17:07:43Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Answer to what? It was a in public, at a dinner that was attended by all of G20 leaders, in view of everyone there, including a bunch of press photographers. Oh no Trump talked to Putin for a while at a dinner table! Hang him! Traitor!!!11!!! > > What **stupidity**. > [@Okrahoma](#): > > I love the “met secretly with Putin” part. Yes, “secretly”. In view of all G20 leaders, their wives and press photographers. But “secretly”. > > **Stupidity** squared. (my bold) This is basically right up to the line. If you’re going to call something stupid, you should be very careful the target to whom you are directing that towards. > [@Okrahoma](#): > > It was at a dinner table, attended by all G20 leaders, their wives, and a gaggle of press photographers. Are you not aware of that? How in the world can that be characterized as a “secret meeting” by anyone other than a Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferer? This however, is over the line. This is a warning for personal insults given the construction in post #[1322](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=20354491&postcount=1322). [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1380 "2017-07-19T17:07:50Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Trump Derangement Syndrome is what his supporters and defenders are suffering from. You’ve got it backwards. > > How else do you explain how many of his supporters do not believe that Don Jr. went to that meeting with the Russians when he actually openly admits going to the meeting? > > [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-jr-russian-meeting-poll-majority-supporters-dont-believe-it-happened-despite-son-admitting-it-a7847636.html](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-jr-russian-meeting-poll-majority-supporters-dont-believe-it-happened-despite-son-admitting-it-a7847636.html) > > Denying reality the way Trump supporters do is what is deranged. Knock it off. Focus on the political issues and the political participants, not the motivations of other posters. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@Okrahoma](#): > > > > Stupidity squared. > > Indeed. This too. Same comment as above. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1381 "2017-07-19T17:11:58Z")
As a general comment, at 1400+ posts, I’m not inclined to move the thread to the Pit especially given the omnibus Trump threads there. I think this is a worthwhile topic that can be discussed within the guidelines of this forum so I want to leave it open. Please observe forum rules. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1382 "2017-07-19T17:12:03Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > What “secrecy”? It was at a dinner table. In full view of all the G20 leaders and their photographers. There was no one from the US at the dinner other than Trump, Melania and Trump’s **Japanese** interpreter. Should he have invited that interpreter to his conversation with Putin? > > This whole thing is a perfect example of just how deep Trump Derangement Syndrome goes. Yeah, he probably should have invited more people over, including the press. The controversy is that he is Putin’s pawn, and going over to him like that helps remove any doubt. What was so important that he just had to go over and talk to Putin of all people? If he just wanted to chat with someone to pass the time, why not one of the other attendees at the meeting? He could have made this a nothingburger by inviting a few more people over who could corroborate that it was nothing more than party chit-chat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=68) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=70)