It has been a crazy week for the incoming Trump administration.
Trump’s hard-on for Russian President Vladimir Putin was worrying during his campaign. And it has grown to a disproportionately alarming size as he lashes out at everyone: the press, the intelligence community (IC), Congress, etc. A man of infinite ego yet absolutely zero self-esteem, Trump has developed a sense of paranoia that would make Richard Nixon appear sane. He now rambles on Twitter with caps lock on about a bipartisan conspiracy against him. Somehow, Congressmen and Congresswomen from both sides of the aisle, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and most news organizations are now plotting against him.
Amidst this backdrop of antagonism and hostility, Trump clings most strongly to a fugitive sex offender (Julian Assange) and a Russian dictator (Vladimir Putin).
Trump's idol, Putin, has a habit of mysteriously making his political opponents and journalists “disappear” or die under “mysterious circumstances.” Other than his legions of loyal supporters, his only allies (for whether he has any friends is debatable at best) in this country include his lying and obscurantist mouthpiece Kellyanne Conway, whom can avoid answering direct questions for at least ten minutes, and sycophant yes-men such as Newt Gingrich and General Michael T. Flynn.
Earlier last week, CNN released a report that Russia might have compromising materials on Trump.
These materials could very likely be used to blackmail him. The Russians have a word for this kind of material: Kompromat. This information had been floating around Congress and the IC for quite a while, as confirmed by Director of National intelligence James Clapper. US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) saw some of this information himself late last year and, finding it rather disturbing, turned it over to FBI director James Comey. Last Friday, both Clapper and Comey briefed Trump and President Barack Obama on this latest info.
Shortly after CNN released their report, Buzzfeed leaked the entire dossier containing all the raw human intelligence that had on gathered on Russia Kompromat for Trump.
Few details, if any, from the dossier could be verified at the time, and as such, Buzzfeed received much criticism for their decision. The dossier contained some rather outrageous claims that may or may not be true. In conformance with journalistic standards, I will not reveal any details from the dossier nor even link to the Buzzfeed leak. I will say that it was compiled by ex-MI6 officer Christopher Steele, who has compiled reliable intelligence on Russia in the past. He currently is in hiding and fearing for his life. A joint bipartisan US Senate committee, and possibly the FBI and other IC agencies, are currently looking into the legitimacy of the dossier claims.
According to the BBC, aside from Steele, there are other sources providing information regarding Russian Kompromat on Trump, including corroborators from Eastern European intelligence agencies.
The fallout from the dossier leak had barely begun to settle before Trump was to attend a press conference on Wednesday, January 11th. During this press conference, CNN reporter Jim Acosta attempted to ask Trump a question, but Trump declined and shouted at Acosta, labeling CNN “fake news.” Shortly afterward, incoming White House Press Secretary and Communications Director Sean Spicer threatened to have Acosta thrown out if he asked another question. Right wing, pro-Putin, Trump loyalists and sycophants around the world cheered at the idea that our freedom of speech and press should be quashed if it hurt their feelings and hard-ons for Trump.
These loyal supporters included US Intelligence Chairman Devin Dunes, Newt Gingrich, Canadian activist Tarek Fatah, and British men such as a Pat Condell and Tommy Robinson. Among those with enough reasoning skills to see the difference between biased but true news (which theoretically all news is) and fake news though, reactions were very different. Partisan divides finally waned perhaps a little bit as Fox News reporter Shepard Smith later defended Acosta and denounced Trump for his treatment of the media and the press.
As investigations continue, new developments hint that Trump has more connections than previously thought.
General Flynn is now known to have been in continuous contact with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak, including numerous phone calls between the two on the day that Obama ordered new sanctions against Russia as part of retaliation for their hacking on the Democratic National Committee and other American political institutions.
In addition, French far-right politician Marine Le Pen, was recently spotted at Trump Tower in New York City. Le Pen, leader of the National Front party in France, has previously been a major fan of Trump, both endorsing him for US President and congratulating him when he won the election. The exact nature of her visit is currently unclear.
In addition, there have been reports of Trump's staff working with Moscow and large money transfers between the Trump team and Russia.
Fingers are being pointed generally at Trump's team, aside from ex-campaign manager Paul Manafort whom the Trump team fired before hiring Kellyanne Conway, although details have not been specified. However, Veteran journalist Carl Bernstein, whom along with Bob Woodward helped break the news of the Watergate scandal that eventually led to the resignation of former US President Richard Nixon in 1974, has labeled Conway a “propaganda minister.” (I wonder how Joseph Goebbels would feel?)
Meanwhile, American intelligence officials have now warned Israel AGAINST sharing intel with the incoming Trump administration. Former British Conservative Member of Parliament Louise Mensch, who helped investigate the Kompromat dossier story and released it months prior, wants Trump to resign or be impeached for treason.
Whether our government heeds any of these warnings remains to be seen.
Regardless, it appears that all hopes of a Trump presidency free of incident and/or scandal are now dead. Trump’s doctor may have given him a clean bill of health, but Putin appears to be the one parasite that Trump simply cannot rid himself of no matter how hard he tries or how furiously he tweets in all caps.
Can both parties nominate candidates who AREN'T under FBI investigation next time?
