# Trump was recruited as Russian spy codenamed "Krasnov" in 1987

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-was-recruited-as-russian-spy-codenamed-krasnov-in-1987/1014697>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Tags:** trump\
**Created:** [February 23, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-was-recruited-as-russian-spy-codenamed-krasnov-in-1987/1014697 "2025-02-23T16:31:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 53

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-was-recruited-as-russian-spy-codenamed-krasnov-in-1987/1014697/53 "2025-02-25T18:56:40Z")

</div>

> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> Just what exactly did he know that would be useful to them, anyway?

How to launder money. Russian oligarch money.  
That is a double edged kompromat, but they have proof of (some of) his crimes. It is double edged because they are criminals too and because you don’t slaughter the ~~turkey~~ goose that lays ~~golden~~ orange coloured eggs.  
PS: I see **dasmoocher** has posted along these lines already, but it bears repeating. His cite is valid, there are many others, I am too lazy.

> [@solost](#):
>
> trump in his first term started meeting with Putin with only translators present, and demanded his translators’ silence on what was spoken. After that he started meeting with Putin alone, with only Putin’s translators, something that would be unthinkable in previous administrations.

Nitpick: They are not called translators, they a re called interpreters. Translators translate written words at leiure with al the techncal help they need (mainly the internet, dictionaries and colleagues they consult). Intepreters interpret the spoken word on the fly, in real time, alone.  
Now for the history of interpreting in Russian - USA relations. I think it is easier and faster to **[refer to my coments in the Dope in December 2022](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-will-historians-ever-get-to-knowing-what-transpired-between-trump-and-putin-behind-closed-doors-at-helsinki/977035/8)**. It would otherwise be too long, probably a hijack.

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-was-recruited-as-russian-spy-codenamed-krasnov-in-1987/1014697)._