BREAKING NEWS - Jared Kushner 'wanted secret communications channel between Trump's transition team and the Kremlin using Russian diplomatic facilities in the US'

Source: Daily Mail Online
Published: May 26, 2017
Author: Ariel Zilber
Post Date: 2017-05-26 20:27:06 by cranky
Views: 1516

  • Jared Kushner met with Russia's ambassador to US at Trump Tower in December
  • President's son-in-law reportedly proposed a secret back-channel of communications between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin
  • Kushner reportedly suggested to Sergey Kislyak that Russian diplomatic facilities be used in order to avoid detection by US authorities
  • Investigators believe the matters discussed during the meeting have relevance to ongoing probe into alleged ties between Trump campaign and Russia

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Russia’s ambassador to the United States discussed establishing a secret back-channel in order to avoid having their communications detected by US authorities, according to a report on Friday.

The nature of the discussions between Kushner and the Kremlin’s envoy to Washington, Sergey Kislyak, were relayed by intelligence officials who spoke toThe Washington Post.

Kislyak reported to his bosses in Moscow that Kushner proposed a direct back-channel connecting Trump's campaign and the Kremlin during a meeting at Trump Tower on or around December 1, the Post reported.

As per Kushner's suggestion, the communications between the Trump team and the Kremlin would be held inside Russian diplomatic facilities in the US, according to details of the discussions that were intercepted by intelligence officials.

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner (left), and Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak (right), discussed establishing a secret back-channel in order to avoid having their communications detected by US authorities

The meeting at Trump Tower between Kushner and Kislyak was also attended by retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn (above), according to The Washington Post

The meeting at Trump Tower between Kushner and Kislyak was also attended by retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, according to the Post.

Flynn was Trump's chief advisor on foreign policy and national security during his presidential campaign.

After Trump's inauguration, Flynn was named national security advisor.

But he lasted only 18 days in office. The White House fired Flynn after it was learned he had misled top officials, among them Vice President Mike Pence, about the nature of his talks with Kislyak.

The White House disclosed the meeting between Kushner and Kislyak in March.

That meeting, though, is drawing scrutiny from the FBI, whose investigators believe that the matters discussed have relevance to the ongoing probe into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Kushner's meeting with a Russian banker is also a subject of interest in the eyes of investigators, according to the Post.

At the time of the meeting, Trump Tower was the unofficial White House, and every coming and going was in public - except those which the Trump transition team organized to keep under wraps.

Kislyak, regarded as one of Russia's most important spies, was therefore smuggled in by the Trump team for the meeting.

Kislyak was said to be taken aback by Kushner's suggestion, since it would have entailed allowing American officials access to Russian communications equipment at its diplomatic missions.

Such an unusual arrangement would have not only posed security risks for the Russians, but also for Kushner and the Trump team, according to the Post.

Officials told the Post that the meeting between Kushner and Kislyak was not under US surveillance.

The communications of American nationals were also not subject to intelligence surveillance, officials told the Post.

The White House, the Russian embassy, and Flynn's lawyer all declined to comment on the matter, according to the Post.

The latest revelations will likely fuel further suspicions into the nature of the Trump campaign's contacts with Moscow.

US officials note that in years past Russia has intentionally misled authorities by feeding information it knows to be false so as to sow disinformation and confuse American intelligence officials.

In this case, however, it is uncertain what Kislyak would have to gain by concocting details of a back-channel proposed by Kushner.

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#1: Pinguinite    To: cranky (#0)

BREAKING NEWS - Jared Kushner 'wanted secret communications channel between Trump's transition team and the Kremlin using Russian diplomatic facilities in the US'

I have a hard time understanding why a US president would not be entitled to have secret communications with Russian diplomats.

I mean, #1) presidents should have an option for secret communications, and #2) communicating is what diplomats are for. It's one of those no-brainer things, right?

Kushner reportedly suggested to Sergey Kislyak that Russian diplomatic facilities be used in order to avoid detection by US authorities

But.... isn't the US president the highest "US authority"?

What am I missing?

Pinguinite posted on 2017-05-27 02:01:31   Reply   Private Reply


#2: misterwhite    To: cranky (#0)

"during a meeting at Trump Tower on or around December 1"

AFTER the election. This has nothing to do with "Trump's team" working with Russia to influence the election.

This is turning into a witch hunt, just as Trump said it would. Find something, anything, to justify the time and expense of this unfounded investigation.

misterwhite posted on 2017-05-27 09:30:12   Reply   Private Reply


#3: Stoner    To: misterwhite (#2)

" This is turning into a witch hunt,"

Which is all it has ever been.

Stoner posted on 2017-05-27 11:59:28   Reply   Private Reply