# Trump Tower has a direct server connection to a Russia bank **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 31, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309 "2016-10-31T22:32:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/21 "2016-11-01T02:15:36Z")
> **[A veteran spy has given the FBI information alleging a Russian operation to...](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump/)** > > Has the bureau investigated this material? This election is batshit. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/22 "2016-11-01T02:16:59Z")
Like all the other allegations against Trump, true or otherwise, it won’t make any difference. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/23 "2016-11-01T02:18:27Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > _Slate_ is pretty liberal, on a level with _Mother Jones_. They are mainstream media with actual journalistic standards, but I think it will be easy to dismiss for anyone who doesn’t already believe it about Trump. I think the NYT investigation would have to go somewhere for this to gain any traction. I have a lot of trouble putting Slate at the same “liberal” level as Mother Jones. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/24 "2016-11-01T02:24:12Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Oh, stuff it, Canuck. When you start nominating candidates who aren’t too boring to run in North Dakota, we may pay attention to you. And you’ll stop paying attention to us. 😉 What you call “boring”, we call… well, also “boring”, but _also_ indicative of a sane, rational, responsible government that can wrap up an entire election campaign in less three months, and sometimes less than two. I admit this particular election of yours is more interesting than most because the potential for utter disaster is higher than usual. By fivethiryeight’s latest numbers, you’re playing Russian Roulette with 24.6% of the chambers loaded. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/25 "2016-11-01T02:32:21Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > [A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump – Mother Jones](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump) > > This election is batshit. What it is is frightening. From your link: > [@](#): > > Mother Jones has reviewed that report and other memos this former spy wrote. The first memo, based on the former intelligence officer’s conversations with Russian sources, noted, “Russian regime has been cultivating, supporting and assisting TRUMP for at least 5 years. Aim, endorsed by PUTIN, has been to encourage splits and divisions in western alliance.” It maintained that Trump “and his inner circle have accepted a regular flow of intelligence from the Kremlin, including on his Democratic and other political rivals.” It claimed that Russian intelligence had “compromised” Trump during his visits to Moscow and could “blackmail him.” It also reported that Russian intelligence had compiled a dossier on Hillary Clinton based on “bugged conversations she had on various visits to Russia and intercepted phone calls.” > > The former intelligence officer says the response from the FBI was “shock and horror.” The FBI, after receiving the first memo, did not immediately request additional material, according to the former intelligence officer and his American associates. Yet in August, they say, the FBI asked him for all information in his possession and for him to explain how the material had been gathered and to identify his sources. The former spy forwarded to the bureau several memos—some of which referred to members of Trump’s inner circle. After that point, he continued to share information with the FBI. “It’s quite clear there was or is a pretty substantial inquiry going on,” he says. > … > According to several national security experts, there is widespread concern in the US intelligence community that Russian intelligence, via hacks, is aiming to undermine the presidential election—to embarrass the United States and delegitimize its democratic elections. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/26 "2016-11-01T02:34:59Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Oh, stuff it, Canuck. When you start nominating candidates who aren’t too boring to run in North Dakota, we may pay attention to you. And you’ll stop paying attention to us. 😉 He’s pushing legal marijuana and doing shirtless photo bombs of weddings, having just finished surfing. Which N. Dakota politician would you say is more exciting? > **[Shirtless Justin Trudeau photobombs wedding | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2016/08/07/world/justin-trudeau-wedding-photobomb/)** > > Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was unwittingly captured shirtless at a recent seaside wedding. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/27 "2016-11-01T02:42:12Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > This story is starting to blow up on Twitter and Google News. Not a peep on CNN. They’re too busy running a lead article on rising Obamacare costs, and a side article quoting at length the totally unhinged loon Gary Johnson claiming that if Hillary is elected, it will be years of Watergate-type chaos eventually ending in impeachment. Johnson’s irresponsible and pointless bloviations directly contradict his own VP. > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > [A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump – Mother Jones](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump) > > This election is batshit. Yep. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/28 "2016-11-01T02:50:55Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > This story is starting to blow up on Twitter and Google News. > > If there’s one thing we can say is that one half of this country is going to be bitterly disgusted with the results of this election and convinced that the “winner” is barely legitimate. What a wonderful “democracy” we have now. > [@wolfpup](#): > > Not a peep on CNN. They’re too busy running a lead article on rising Obamacare costs, and a side article quoting at length the totally unhinged loon Gary Johnson claiming that if Hillary is elected, it will be years of Watergate-type chaos eventually ending in impeachment. Johnson’s irresponsible and pointless bloviations directly contradict his own VP. > Yep. I went over to GoogleNews and found this: “Investigating Donald Trump, F.B.I. Sees No Clear Link to Russia” If that’s “blowing up all over Google News”, I think that’s a different meaning of “blowing up” than people would think reading asahi’s post. That might also explain why other news sources, including MSNBC based on their web site, aren’t jumping all over this. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/29 "2016-11-01T02:53:59Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I have a lot of trouble putting Slate at the same “liberal” level as Mother Jones. I agree. That said, Slate is much more openly partisan this year, whereas in past years, they tended to be more ‘contrarian.’ I’ve actually started reading it less as it seems more and more like an echo chamber of my head. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/30 "2016-11-01T02:55:30Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Can we call this a Red October surprise? No. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/31 "2016-11-01T03:22:54Z")
I suspect this story is more likely to gain traction than Huma’s e-mails. The latter is just too vague and disconnected from Clinton. This story has bad-hair-guy’s name literally stamped right on it. And some of us nerds find the details intriguing. And, really, it has a sort of salacious quality that Weiner’s dick cannot even match. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/32 "2016-11-01T03:30:22Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Unfortunately, there’s a sizable overlap between “Trump voter” and “Americans who respect strong leaders like that Putin guy.” Some people may respect a strong leader like Putin. But nobody respects the guy that Putin is using. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/33 "2016-11-01T03:31:16Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I went over to GoogleNews and found this: “Investigating Donald Trump, F.B.I. Sees No Clear Link to Russia” > > If that’s “blowing up all over Google News”, I think that’s a different meaning of “blowing up” than people would think reading asahi’s post. That might also explain why other news sources, including MSNBC based on their web site, aren’t jumping all over this. That article is from the NYT, here - [http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/us/politics/fbi-russia-election-donald-trump.html](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/01/us/politics/fbi-russia-election-donald-trump.html) The problem with that article is that it doesn’t directly address the issues in the Slate article. The NYT article, for example, says that the FBI decided that perhaps an innocent explanation, such as email spam, exists for the server between Trump Tower and Alfa Bank. But it doesn’t explain why the FBI thinks the connection between a spike in communication activity during major US political events is unimportant. Nor does the NYT article address the assertion, which I quoted in the OP, that this was clearly not the work of bots, but represented human communication. The NYT merely reports that the FBI did not find the communication between the servers to be a smoking, but it’s notable that the FBI doesn’t disagree that there was, in fact, a direct server connection from Trump Tower to Alfa Bank at one time, or that the connection was changed after people started asking questions. The NYT article and the FBI don’t do a good job of addressing the people and their concerns about the server connection which were published in the Slate article. It’s all well and good to say, “well, maybe there’s an innocent explanation”, but in fact, no actual explanation, innocent or otherwise, has been proposed by the folks at Trump Tower, Alfa Bank, or the FBI themselves. So far, the best explanation is 1) a Russian mobster, or 2. The Lord of Gifts. Either way, it’s not comforting. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/34 "2016-11-01T03:36:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I went over to GoogleNews and found this: “Investigating Donald Trump, F.B.I. Sees No Clear Link to Russia” > > If that’s “blowing up all over Google News”, I think that’s a different meaning of “blowing up” than people would think reading asahi’s post. That might also explain why other news sources, including MSNBC based on their web site, aren’t jumping all over this. OK, but this is the same FBI that just said essentially the same thing about the newly discovered emails on the dick-texter’s laptop – that there is no clear link to anything relevant to the Hillary email investigation; they just don’t know. Yet that one seems to have exploded into the biggest pre-election bombshell in living memory. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/35 "2016-11-01T03:53:10Z")
If it is a mobster, the public will be indifferent. A few decades ago, there was a mobster who visited the Whitehouse with great frequency. Spent quite a lot of time with the First Lady. No one seemed to be bothered by it. Except for one cartoonist. ---
**Author:** ![Frankenstein\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@Frankenstein\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankenstein_Monster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/36 "2016-11-01T11:57:48Z")
I work in this field. I have worked with these technologies for decades so I understand exactly what all that data says. Somebody used the five-letter combination “trump” when configuring some software somewhere. **That’s the entirety of the connection to Trump in this data**. [This blog post](http://blog.erratasec.com/2016/11/debunking-trumps-secret-server.html) is the correct explanation of the data found by those researchers. > [@](#): > > This is nonsense. The evidence available on the Internet is that Trump neither (directly) controls the domain “[trump-email.com](http://trump-email.com)”, nor has access to the server. Instead, the domain was setup and controlled by Cendyn, a company that does marketing/promotions for hotels, including many of Trump’s hotels. Trump may well have any number of connections to Russia but this particular artificial scandal is a big nothingburger. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/37 "2016-11-01T12:02:51Z")
Watching CNN now. The show into teased a Russia/Trump link “story”. Let’s see what they report. ETA: Harry Reid charges that the FBI has information about a Russia/Trump link, and is sitting on the information. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/38 "2016-11-01T12:04:32Z")
The story cooled off overnight. Will wait to see if it pops up into the conversation today. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/39 "2016-11-01T13:34:11Z")
The fact that the Slate headline is a question (“Was a Trump Server Communicating With Russia?”) already ought to raise suspicions about the strength of their evidence. It does seem to be a rule of thumb that the answer to any such headlines is usually “No”. And in addition to the NYT story [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/31/trump-organization-server-russia-bank-slate-report)tried and failed to independently confirm the Slate report. Absent more substantive data, while personally I’m fairly sure Trump is heavily in debt (morally and financially) to Russia I’m not seeing a story here. It’d be nice to have a smoking gun but this isn’t even a gun; it’s a doodle of a gun. If more evidence turns up, I’ll reconsider. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tower-has-a-direct-server-connection-to-a-russia-bank/770309/40 "2016-11-01T14:00:32Z")
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