Trump personally met with Russian ambassador during campaign

Source: Think Progress
Published: Mar 7, 2017
Author: Judd Legum
Post Date: 2017-03-07 14:32:35 by Willie Green
Views: 3948

Trump has repeatedly denied meeting with any Russian officials as a candidate

Donald Trump has claimed repeatedly that he has had no contact with Russian officials as a presidential candidate.

He was lying.

Trump personally met with the Russian ambassador on April 27, 2016, prior to a major foreign policy speech. The Wall Street Journal, in a report that was little-noticed at the time but was recently picked up by AMERICABlog News, reported the meeting last year.

A few minutes before he made those remarks, Mr. Trump met at a VIP reception with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak. Mr. Trump warmly greeted Mr. Kislyak and three other foreign ambassadors who came to the reception.

Kislyak, according to multiple contemporaneous news reports, was seated in the front row. It was an invitation-only event.

A photo from AFP captures Kislyak taking his seat.

Russian ambassador Kislyak (far right) takes his seat with former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker

Trump used the speech to call for warmer relations with Russia. “I believe an easing of tensions, and improved relations with Russia — from a position of strength only — is possible, absolutely possible,” Trump said. “Some say the Russians won’t be reasonable. I intend to find out.”

Russia was pleased with his speech:

Trump has repeatedly insisted that neither he nor anyone on his campaign was in contact with Russia during the election.

“Russia is a ruse. I have nothing to do with Russia. Haven’t made a phone call to Russia in years. Don’t speak to people from Russia,” Trump said during a February 16 press conference. He said he contacts with Russia were limited to talking twice to Vladimir Putin after election day.

On February 20, Trump spokesperson Sarah Sanders flatly declared that the Trump campaign had “no contacts” with Russia.

We’ve since learned that at least four members of the Trump campaign — Jeff Sessions, Michael Flynn, Carter Page, and J.D. Gordon — talked with Russian officials during the campaign.

Sessions, now the Attorney General, recused himself from any investigation of the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia after he falsely told the Judiciary Committee he had not met with any Russian officials.

Trump’s own meeting with Kislyak raises further questions about the nature of the Trump campaign’s relationship with Russia and why the Trump administration won’t come clean about the extent of their contacts.

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#1: Gatlin    To: Willie Green (#0)

Trump personally met with Russian ambassador during campaign

So,IMPEACH him ...

Wait, that is already beind discussed....let's see how that works out.

Gatlin posted on 2017-03-07 14:55:20   Reply   Private Reply

#2: misterwhite    To: Gatlin (#1)

"Trump personally met with Russian ambassador during campaign"

Well, if by "personally met" they mean Trump-giving-a-speech-while-the-Russian- ambassador-sat-in-the-front-row, then yes he did.

misterwhite posted on 2017-03-07 17:11:23   Reply   Private Reply

#3: Gatlin    To: misterwhite (#2)

"Trump personally met with Russian ambassador during campaign"

Well, if by "personally met" they mean Trump-giving-a-speech-while-the-Russian- ambassador-sat-in-the-front-row, then yes he did.

I know.

And, OMG....Trump actually greeted [he nodded to] the Russian ambassador and three other foreign ambassadors as they walked by.

Heavens forbid I am shocked, I tell you ….shocked!

It was an invitation only event and Trump did not do the inviting….he was the speaker.

Here is a photo of Kislyak taking his seat at the speech and look who he is with….it’s that scoundrel, James Baker.

BTW, all this shit about Trump meeting with a Russian is giving me a complex….since I meet with a Russian bi-monthly, my barber.

I am considering converting to Sikhism and going with the turban….but then some ignorant bastard would think I am a Muslim and shoot me.

It has happened....and then:

Gatlin posted on 2017-03-07 18:06:22   Reply   Private Reply

#4: rlk    To: Willie Green (#0)

Trump personally met with Russian ambassador during campaign

I don't care. Neither should anyone else. This is an attempt to make much ado of nothing.

rlk posted on 2017-03-07 23:56:29   Reply   Private Reply

#5: misterwhite    To: Gatlin (#3)

"Trump actually greeted [he nodded to] the Russian ambassador and three other foreign ambassadors as they walked by."

Yep. And as we know that nod is code for, "After my election I have more flexibility."

Oh, wait. I'm confusing that with what Obama actually said to Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

misterwhite posted on 2017-03-08 09:58:32   Reply   Private Reply

#6: Gatlin    To: misterwhite (#5)

And if Trump ever does give a “reset button” to Vlad….he will give one worded correctly and that actually worked.

Not like this:

When it comes to Russia, the Obama administration has been talking about “pressing the reset button.” It’s meant to symbolize a possible new start in U.S./Russian relations, which “crashed” after Russia invaded Georgia last August.

So when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greeted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva Friday before sitting down to their working dinner, she was all smiles when she presented him a small green box with a ribbon.

Lavrov opened it and, inside, there was a red button with the Russian word “peregruzka” printed on it.

"I would like to present you with a little gift that represents what President Obama and Vice President Biden and I have been saying and that is: 'We want to reset our relationship, and so we will do it together.' ...

"We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?" she asked Lavrov, laughing.

“You got it wrong," said Lavrov, as both diplomats laughed.

“It should be “perezagruzka” [the Russian word for reset]," said Lavrov."This says ‘peregruzka,’ which means ‘overcharged.’”

Gatlin posted on 2017-03-08 10:39:18   Reply   Private Reply

#7: misterwhite    To: Gatlin (#6)

"And if Trump ever does give a “reset button” to Vlad….he will give one worded correctly and that actually worked."

And one that didn't look like a children's toy made of cheap plastic.

misterwhite posted on 2017-03-09 10:13:27   Reply   Private Reply