# Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 15, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874 "2017-02-15T02:33:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/21 "2017-02-15T21:26:27Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Right. Those same people are sure concerned about Trump’s unsecured cell phone, open to hacking… > > . > . > . > \ > > And they were quite vocal when Trump had an impromptu briefing on N. Korea missiles in the middle of a hotel party, where people were taking selfies… > . > . > . > \ > > So I’m sure they will not be impressed that several of Trump’s closest people were in contact with Russian government intelligence officers before and after the election…and they will NOW speak up. > . > . > . I’m sure those people would like to speak up, but they’re in a tough spot. See, Trump has promised them that he’s going to make America great again with coal-mining jobs. Who would want to look a gift horse like that in the mouth? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/22 "2017-02-15T21:34:34Z")
Drip drip drip… So our allies have been spying on Trump’s team since last August. And it sounds like they know more about all of this than any of our elected officials do. [U.S. ALLIES CONDUCT INTELLIGENCE OPERATION AGAINST TRUMP STAFF AND ASSOCIATES, INTERCEPTED COMMUNICATIONS](http://www.newsweek.com/allies-intercept-russia-trump-adviser-communications-557283) > [@](#): > > The sources said the intercepted communications are not just limited to telephone calls: The foreign agency is also gathering electronic and human source information on Trump’s overseas business partners, at least some of whom the intelligence services now consider to be agents of their respective governments. > [@](#): > > Of equal concern to our allies is Trump’s business partner in the Philippines, who is also the special representative to Washington of that country’s president, Rodrigo Duterte. This government official, Jose E.B. Antonio, is the head of Century Properties, which in turn is a partner with the president’s business in the construction of Trump Tower at Century City in Makati, Philippines. According to people with direct knowledge of the situation, a European intelligence service has obtained the contracts and other legal documents in the deal between the Trump Organization and Antonio. That deal has already resulted in large payments to Trump’s business, with millions of dollars more on the way—all coming from an agent of the Philippine president. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/23 "2017-02-15T22:59:15Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > I agree that in the end this may actually lead to anything, but I don’t think its something the Republicans can ignore. If there is anything we have learned about Americans, particularly Republican voters, is that they don’t handle subtlety well. If your point takes more than a 15 word sound bite to explain people aren’t going to pay attention. > > “Trump campaign staff talked to Senior Russian Intelligence Officials during the campaign” > > Fits into a nice easy narrative. I’ll raise your 15-words. It needs to be one-two words, like “emails”, or “Benghazi”. And it needs to equate to something they “feel” is negative. Just because the Trump campaign had contact with Russian intelligence officials during the race, does not “feel” all that bad. Trump will say “I think it would be a good idea to have good relations with Russia” and his followers will accept that. “Communist hackers” is the lead-in. So “Trump campaign staff colluded with communist hackers during the campaign” is the headline. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/24 "2017-02-15T23:48:39Z")
Few Trump supporters would do anything but applaud if Trump came out tomorrow and stated that he worked with Russia to hack the DNC and in exchange he will lift sanctions on them. That’s just the nature of the hyperpartisan world we live in. But we don’t need to flip Trump supporters or get him impeached in order to put checks on his power. We need to turn people out to vote in 2018. If the same Dems who voted for Hillary turn out in 2018, they’ll take back the House. It’s super unlikely. But way more likely than the GOP impeaching their own leader. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/25 "2017-02-15T23:59:44Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > Drip drip drip… > > So our allies have been spying on Trump’s team since last August. And it sounds like they know more about all of this than any of our elected officials do. > > [U.S. ALLIES CONDUCT INTELLIGENCE OPERATION AGAINST TRUMP STAFF AND ASSOCIATES, INTERCEPTED COMMUNICATIONS](http://www.newsweek.com/allies-intercept-russia-trump-adviser-communications-557283) Jesus. It’s impossible to keep up with the revelations. And the world is starting to look like … Revelations. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/26 "2017-02-16T00:38:48Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I’ll raise your 15-words. It needs to be one-two words, like “emails”, or “Benghazi”. Pootie-poots poodle? ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/27 "2017-02-16T01:08:24Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I’ll raise your 15-words. It needs to be one-two words, like “emails”, or “Benghazi”. And it needs to equate to something they “feel” is negative. Just because the Trump campaign had contact with Russian intelligence officials during the race, does not “feel” all that bad. Trump will say “I think it would be a good idea to have good relations with Russia” and his followers will accept that. > > “Communist hackers” is the lead-in. So “Trump campaign staff colluded with communist hackers during the campaign” is the headline. I don’t disagree, but “colluded” might be a bit of a big word for these people. ---
**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:** [February 16, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/28 "2017-02-16T01:23:59Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He’s only got a few days. WHH lasted March 4 - April 4, 1841. Next up is James Garfield; November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881 (199 days). Trump will pass that on August 7th, 2017. Not that I’m counting or anything. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/29 "2017-02-18T15:27:22Z")
I’m no apologist, but I’m wondering what would happen if regular Joe Schmo Me would have been caught talking to Russian officials. Or Jose Schmo Rodriguez, my Hispanic cousin would have been caught doing this. What would be the legal ramifications be on me? ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/30 "2017-02-18T17:47:59Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I’ll raise your 15-words. It needs to be one-two words, like “emails”, or “Benghazi”. And it needs to equate to something they “feel” is negative. Yes, and viewed this way “fake news” was inevitably going to be co-opted to mean “Any news Trump or Fox News doesn’t like” (or, indeed, no concrete meaning beyond “Booo! Down with the other guys!”). We played into their hands. If only it had been a three-word term it would have been out of their reach… The latest one I see them trying hard to stick is “alt-left”. With essentially the same definition as “fake news”. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/31 "2017-02-19T02:13:51Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > I’m no apologist, but I’m wondering what would happen if regular Joe Schmo Me would have been caught talking to Russian officials. Or Jose Schmo Rodriguez, my Hispanic cousin would have been caught doing this. What would be the legal ramifications be on me? There probably would not be that much interest if you weren’t in a position where this is compromising, i.e., a position where you have an important job in the U.S. government and/or access to classified information. [In the present case, I suppose the people were not necessarily yet in important positions…but they had the now-realized potential to be.] ---
**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:** [February 19, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/32 "2017-02-19T16:29:22Z")
Based on the backpedaling that Trump has done on all things NATO and Russia, and Putin has done similarly on Trump, telling the Russian media to start going anti-Trump, I’m feeling like (if there is genuine collusion between his camp and Russia) both sides will have cut off communication. Which then would mean that they need to re-establish communication, along a path that isn’t being watched by the FBI/CIA/NSA. Realistically, that should mean that they’d simply use better cryptography and more obscure methods of communicating electronically. But historically it would have been popular to find a neutral intermediary. And I noted today that Erdogan has issued an announcement that he wants to become best buds with President Trump. While highly conjectural, if this line of reasoning was correct, then we would expect to see something like this occur over the next year or so: 1. Trump attempts to hand Gulen over to Turkey, and becomes Erdogan’s best friend. They’re golfing regularly, way out of proportion to Turkey’s importance to the US. 2. There will be a series of events that cause rising aggression between the US and Russia, in and about Turkey. 3. Turkey will step up to broker a deal between Russia and the US, and as part of the de-escalation process, giving over the Ukraine (and who knows what other assets) will be a part of the deal that the US will have to choose to accept. Of course, as said, at this point in the game, where we don’t even have any real evidence of collusion between Trump and Putin, let alone any reason to believe that it will be an ongoing affair, this line of thinking - let alone this level of specificity - is really just a dart throw in the dark. But I thought that I would throw it out there, just to be able to get 1 million credits should the prediction pan out. But, I probably would recommend that the NSA start watching communications between the Trump administration and Turkey. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/33 "2017-06-12T16:08:38Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > [Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/us/politics/russia-intelligence-communications-trump.html?emc=edit_na_20170214&nl=breaking-news&nlid=43071900&ref=cta&_r=0) > > Breaking… The New York Times story you linked was Fake news: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/06/08/in-the-main-it-was-not-true-comey-denounces-new-york-times-story/?utm\_term=.5fe5a584d2ab](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/06/08/in-the-main-it-was-not-true-comey-denounces-new-york-times-story/?utm_term=.5fe5a584d2ab) > [@](#): > > **In his Thursday testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, former FBI director James B. Comey said that a controversial New York Times story in February about alleged contacts between Trump intimates and Russian officials was bogus. “In the main, it was not true,” he said.** > > “ **The challenge, and I’m not picking on reporters, about writing stories about classified information is the people talking about it often don’t really know what’s going on and those of us who actually know what’s going on are not talking about it** ,” said Comey during questioning from Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho). “And we don’t call the press and say, ‘Hey, you got that thing wrong.’ ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/34 "2017-06-12T16:31:15Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > The New York Times story you linked was Fake news: > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/06/08/in-the-main-it-was-not-true-comey-denounces-new-york-times-story/?utm\_term=.5fe5a584d2ab](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/06/08/in-the-main-it-was-not-true-comey-denounces-new-york-times-story/?utm_term=.5fe5a584d2ab) I wouldnt call that ‘fake news’ - Fake news is stuff that is made up out of whole cloth - pizza gate. What you have here may be bad reporting or later debunked - but it wasn’t created with bad intent. (IMHO) ‘Fake news’ is getting applied to way too many ideas - its not fake news just because it turns out to be incorrect later. Situations like this, however, are places where ‘MSM’ needs to hold itsefl to a higher standard of checking sources and getting away from the sensationalism, first to report, scoop, mentality. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/35 "2017-06-12T16:43:01Z")
This article is a nothing burger. It says: > [@](#): > > Several of Mr. Trump’s associates, like Mr. Manafort, have done business in Russia. And it is not unusual for American businessmen to come in contact with foreign intelligence officials, sometimes unwittingly, in countries like Russia and Ukraine, where the spy services are deeply embedded in society. And there’s no evidence that these contacts were anything other than what would be expected from people doing business in Russia or Eastern Europe. With all of these intercepted calls and leaks nothing has come out that is clearly inappropriate or points to collusion. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/36 "2017-06-12T16:46:17Z")
> [@treis](#): > > TWith all of these intercepted calls and leaks nothing has come out that is clearly inappropriate or points to collusion. You mean aside from the various participants consistently lying about the contacts occurring? Because that seems pretty damn inappropriate to most of us. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/37 "2017-06-12T16:55:00Z")
> [@treis](#): > > This article is a nothing burger. It says: > > And there’s no evidence that these contacts were anything other than what would be expected from people doing business in Russia or Eastern Europe. With all of these intercepted calls and leaks nothing has come out that is clearly inappropriate or points to collusion. The business Manafort was doing was political work for pro-Russian politicians. It’s disingenuous to the extreme to equate his “coming into contact” with Russian intelligence with someone getting a road or mining contract. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/38 "2017-06-12T16:56:18Z")
> [@treis](#): > > This article is a nothing burger. It says: > > And there’s no evidence that these contacts were anything other than what would be expected from people doing business in Russia or Eastern Europe. With all of these intercepted calls and leaks nothing has come out that is clearly inappropriate or points to collusion. Easy to say at the very beginning of an investigation that is likely to take many months if not years, very little of which appears to have been made public. Note also that even the longest-lived investigation, that of the FBI, is continuing. (And please don’t insult my intelligence with an argument that it would have been leaked by now if there was anything damning.) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/39 "2017-06-12T17:21:16Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The business Manafort was doing was political work for pro-Russian politicians. It’s disingenuous to the extreme to equate his “coming into contact” with Russian intelligence with someone getting a road or mining contract. This bears repeating. Often. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874/40 "2017-06-12T17:44:13Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > The New York Times story you linked was Fake news: > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/06/08/in-the-main-it-was-not-true-comey-denounces-new-york-times-story/?utm\_term=.5fe5a584d2ab](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/06/08/in-the-main-it-was-not-true-comey-denounces-new-york-times-story/?utm_term=.5fe5a584d2ab) And the update at the end of that article… > [@](#): > > The New York Times has published an examination of Mr. Comey’s statements today, which reviews our previous coverage and found no evidence that any prior reporting was inaccurate. In fact, subsequent reporting by The Times and other media outlets has verified our reporting as the story makes clear. > > Neither the F.B.I., nor Mr. Comey would comment or elaborate on what Mr. Comey believes to be incorrect. Should they provide more information, we would review that as well. I think I’ll wait before calling “Fake News”, the category for FOX, Breitbart and that ilk… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/779874.md?page=3)