Thread by @PuestoLoco, You’re naive if you think the only reason Trump dances to Putin’s [...]

You’re naive if you think the only reason Trump dances to Putin’s flute is “kompromat”. Trump has been trying to partner with Putin since at least his tenure as Prime Minister. A 2010 example — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/29/trump-fbi-hotel-latvia-investigation-russia-links">https://www.theguardian.com/world/201...

FBI looked into Trump plans to build hotel in Latvia with Putin supporter

Exclusive: US authorities made inquiries even before 2016 election campaign into Trump property dealings in former Soviet Union

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/29/trump-fbi-hotel-latvia-investigation-russia-links

Still trying to partner with him, Putin sent Trump a “gift” in the form of a personal letter in a black box at the end of 2013. At the same time, anti-Putin demonstrations started in Ukraine. By March, 2014 U.S. sanctions on Russia ruined Trump’s deal. http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-2013-letter-from-putin-2018-3">https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-201...

Trump received a mysterious letter from Putin in 2013 — and no one knows what was in it

The letter was personally delivered to Trump in New York by the daughter of a Russian oligarch. It's contents remain a mystery to this day.

http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-2013-letter-from-putin-2018-3

Mid-1980’s the KGB was massaging the willing Trump ego to mold him into a Russian asset they referred to as a “conspiratorial collaboration” or zagovorŝičeskoe sotrudničestvo in Russian.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/19/trump-first-moscow-trip-215842">https://www.politico.com/magazine/...

KGB “assessment of personality” Asset Recruiting Form is spot on for Trump. It asks:
— “Are pride, arrogance, egoism, ambition or vanity among subject’s natural characteristics?”
— “Is he in the habit of having affairs with women on the side?” https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/19/trump-first-moscow-trip-215842">https://www.politico.com/magazine/...

The Hidden History of Trump’s First Trip to Moscow

In 1987, a young real estate developer traveled to the Soviet Union. The KGB almost certainly made the trip happen.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/19/trump-first-moscow-trip-215842

October 17, 2015 — “Putin Loves Donald Trump” 2 weeks before he signed a letter of intent to build “Trump World Tower Moscow”
An example of “No collusion” ꟷ˃ https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/putin-loves-donald-trump
Trump’s">https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/putin-lov... Russian website still open ꟷ˃ http://www.trump2016.ru/ ">https://www.trump2016.ru/">...

What Trump wants for America ꟷ The Russian model of dog-eat-dog billionaires. In Putin’s latest purge, some of them are likely to bite Trump. In the last few weeks, Mueller has been getting a lot of intel from Russians close to the Kremlin: Sources. https://www.ft.com/content/24b0c55a-35c3-11e8-8b98-2f31af407cc8">https://www.ft.com/content/2...

Billionaire’s arrest points to Kremlin power struggle

Fate of Ziyavudin Magomedov may be linked to that of the prime minister

https://www.ft.com/content/24b0c55a-35c3-11e8-8b98-2f31af407cc8

What is a “Kleptocracy”?
Here& #39;s a Primer on how Putin’s government model of dog-eat-dog billionaires works. By survivor (for now) Bill Browder: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/bill-browders-testimony-to-the-senate-judiciary-committee/534864/">https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/...

Bill Browder's Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee

“I hope that my story will help you understand the methods of Russian operatives in Washington and how they use U.S. enablers to achieve major foreign policy goals without disclosing those interest...

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/bill-browders-testimony-to-the-senate-judiciary-committee/534864/

What role does the “Attorney General” (Russia’s “Prosecutor General”) play in a Kleptocracy?? Meet Yuri Chaika ꟷ (Chaika is the word for “Seagull” in Russian).
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/bill-browders-testimony-to-the-senate-judiciary-committee/534864/">https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/...

Speaking of Putin’s Prosecutor General Chaika, Why did Pussy Riot go to prison? For protesting the players in Russia’s Kleptocracy, like Yuri “the Seagull” Chaika (Chaika is the word for “seagull” in Russian). https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-pussy-riots-disturbing-protest-video-chaika-20160203">https://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...

Watch Pussy Riot's Disturbing Protest Video 'Chaika'

Watch Pussy Riot attack Russia's prosecutor general, Yuri Chaika, in a disturbing new protest video.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-pussy-riots-disturbing-protest-video-chaika-20160203

ꟷ Konstantin Kilimnik “our guy from the GRU”- Wash DC based International Republican Institute’s Phil Griffin, 2006.
GRU ꟷ Russian Military Intelligence. “It’s a permanent affiliation. There’s no such thing as a former GRU officer”- Browder
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/paul-manafort-ukraine-kiev-russia-konstantin-kilimnik-227181">https://www.politico.com/story/201...

Konstantin Kilimnik’s GRU - Russian Military Intelligence. An overview.
“To anybody familiar with Russian intelligence, Kilimnik was very likely Manafort’s spy-handler.”- John Schindler, 4/2/18
http://observer.com/2018/04/russia-gru-agent-in-mueller-probe-is-konstantin-kilimnik/">https://observer.com/2018/04/r...

Rick Gates: the Full Monty witness.
Late 2015 ꟷ Manafort visits Russian Military Intelligence Agent Kilimnik
Spring 2016 ꟷ Kilimnik visits Manafort in the U.S.
Late 2016 Early 2017 ꟷ Gates helps in Trump’s transition & inaugural https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/rick-gates-donald-trump-robert-mueller-russia">https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018...

Rick Gates Could Be More Dangerous Than Trump’s Allies Thought

New developments suggest Gates isn’t just testifying against Paul Manafort.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/rick-gates-donald-trump-robert-mueller-russia

Question for #MAGA evangelical nut jobs:
Why do America’s Christian Taliban evangelicals have an affinity for Russia and its authoritarian model of government?? http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2016/june/no-evangelizing-outside-of-church-russia-proposes.html">https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2016...

Russia's Newest Law: No Evangelizing Outside of Church

(UPDATE) Putin signs new restrictions that limit where and how Christians share the gospel.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2016/june/no-evangelizing-outside-of-church-russia-proposes.html

Konstantin Kilimnik “our guy from the GRU”- Wash DC based International Republican Institute’s Phil Griffin, 2006.
GRU ꟷ Russian Military Intelligence. “It’s a permanent affiliation. There’s no such thing as a former GRU officer”- Bill Browder
https://www.thedailybeast.com/accused-russian-intel-asset-teamed-up-with-gop-operative-3">https://www.thedailybeast.com/accused-r...

Trump & his U.S. Oligarchs want a more fascistic style governance in the Putin mold. That’s why the GOP is silent about Trump’s affinity for Russia.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/opinion/sunday/trump-fascism-madeleine-albright.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/0...

“A congenital liar and unethical leader, devoid of human emotion and driven by personal ego.” “Lying about all things, large and small, in service to some code of loyalty” like a La Cosa Nostra mob boss.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/james-comeys-memoir-trump-fixates-on-proving-lewd-dossier-allegations-false/2018/04/12/64493866-3ce2-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...

RICO — Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
“Trump defendants committed conspiracy through their interaction with Russian agents..with the campaign itself acting as a ‘RACKETEERING ENTERPRISE’ promoting illegal activity.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democratic-party-files-lawsuit-alleging-russia-the-trump-campaign-and-wikileaks-conspired-to-disrupt-the-2016-campaign/2018/04/20/befe8364-4418-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html">https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...

Natalia Veselnitskaya’s boss is Putin& #39;s General Prosecutor, Yuri "The Seagull" Chaika. Putin uses Chaika to prosecute (seize) corporations under bogus legal complaints. Chaika is the lifeblood of the Russian Oligarch& #39;s Kleptocracy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/us/natalya-veselnitskaya-trump-tower-russian-prosecutor-general.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/2...

Trump& #39;s Achilles Heel―
Poll: 75% of 2016 Trump voters consider Russia an enemy or unfriendly Nation. NOT voters at large, but only among those voting for Trump in 2016. "Every time we shake a tree in Trump& #39;s forest, a Russian falls out."― Rep Eric Swalwell
https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/kwgrow0dna/econTabReport.pdf">https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_u...

Mueller to Manafort: “‘I know everything; you have no choice but cooperation’..a pattern that continues with this filing..material supplied by Manafort’s old alter ego, Rick Gates. There& #39;ll be no ellipses in the Manafort trial. Gates can fill all the gaps”
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/06/paul-manafort-loses-his-cool/562034/">https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/...

Guilty Freudian slip —
Aug 10, 2017, in response to NO QUESTIONS related to Manafort’s income or money, Trump says, out of the blue; “He’s like a lot of other people..probably makes consultant fees from all over the place. Who knows? I don’t know.”
https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/10/politics/trump-paul-manafort-russia/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/1...

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚫" title="No entry sign" aria-label="Emoji: No entry sign">STOP with the "Trump is a kompromat victim" garbage!
Trump & Putin are now coming out of the closet with their agenda, a necessary phase in merging U.S. oligarchs & Russian oligarchs under the Putin model of fascistic governance.
https://www.npr.org/2018/06/08/618207065/trump-wants-russia-back-in-g-7">https://www.npr.org/2018/06/0...

STOP with the "Trump is a kompromat victim" garbage!Trump & Putin are now coming out of the closet with their agenda, a necessary phase in merging U.S. oligarchs & Russian oligarchs under the Putin model of fascistic governance. https://www.npr.org/2018/06/0..." title="https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚫" title="No entry sign" aria-label="Emoji: No entry sign">STOP with the "Trump is a kompromat victim" garbage!Trump & Putin are now coming out of the closet with their agenda, a necessary phase in merging U.S. oligarchs & Russian oligarchs under the Putin model of fascistic governance. https://www.npr.org/2018/06/0..." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>

Here& #39;s a 50 minute video disquisition by Aussie ABC TV’s @4Corners which some viewers are saying shows @4Corners has evidence of a Trump /Russia quid-pro-quo: Sanctions relief in exchange for Rosneft Oil stock, which evidence involves Carter Page. http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/trumprussia:-secrets,-spies-and-useful-idiots/9857934">https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/...

Trump/Russia: Secrets, spies and useful idiots

Part two of Four Corners' special investigative series.

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/trumprussia:-secrets,-spies-and-useful-idiots/9857934

For success, it& #39;s essential every authoritarian get the religious zealots on board. And since fundamentalists are authoritarian as well, their flock doesn& #39;t mind fascistic governance while they wait on rapture. Ergo, evangelicals affection for Putin. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-became-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian-right-214755">https://www.politico.com/magazine/...

How Russia Became the Leader of the Global Christian Right

While the U.S. passed gay-rights laws, Moscow moved hard the other way.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-became-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian-right-214755

GOP Kickoff #RedWave2018 — 4th of July, 2018, Moscow.
Attendees representing the Republican Party:
• Richard Shelby, AL; • John Kennedy, LA;
• John Hoeven, ND; • Steve Daines, MT
• Special appearance by Vladimir Putin, RU
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201806201065597132-us-senators-russia/">https://sputniknews.com/analysis/...

Putin/Trump agenda — The Road to Unfreedom —
“a mass disinformation campaign. A 2.0 update of Sun Tzu’s & #39;confusion to our enemy& #39; principle, with the aim of dividing & polarizing pluralist democracies – in particular the EU and the US – against themselves.” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/15/the-road-to-unfreedom-russia-europe-america-timothy-snyder-review-tim-adams">https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

The Road to Unfreedom by Timothy Snyder review – chilling and unignorable

This persuasive book looks at Putin’s favourite Russian political philosopher and the template he set for fake news

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/15/the-road-to-unfreedom-russia-europe-america-timothy-snyder-review-tim-adams

Putin/Trump agenda —
“Putin has willing collaborators & ‘useful idiots’...who think Putin means well or can be won over. Yet the evidence is that Putin is ruthless in his determination to hang on to power & destroy those he perceives as enemies of Russia," https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/09/books/review/road-to-unfreedom-timothy-snyder.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/0...

Are We Traveling the ‘Road to Unfreedom’?

Timothy Snyder’s new book looks at how democracies fall apart, and places blame on Russia as the current instigator.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/09/books/review/road-to-unfreedom-timothy-snyder.html

“How Democracy Became the Enemy” — Trump agenda: The Putin model

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="▪" title="Black small square" aria-label="Emoji: Black small square"> Neutralize an independent judiciary

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="▪" title="Black small square" aria-label="Emoji: Black small square"> Subjugate much of the media

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="▪" title="Black small square" aria-label="Emoji: Black small square"> Demonize migrants

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="▪" title="Black small square" aria-label="Emoji: Black small square"> Create loyal new elites through crony capitalism

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="▪" title="Black small square" aria-label="Emoji: Black small square"> Energize a national narrative of victimhood https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/opinion/sunday/orban-hungary-kaczynski-poland.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/0...

Opinion | How Democracy Became the Enemy

In Hungary and Poland, the liberal West used to be the promised land. Not anymore.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/opinion/sunday/orban-hungary-kaczynski-poland.html

Finally! MUST READ:
“Suppose we are currently making the same mistake we made at the outset of this [Trump/Russia] drama — suppose the dark crevices of the Russia scandal run not just a little deeper but a lot deeper.” http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/trump-putin-russia-collusion.html">https://nymag.com/daily/int...

What If Trump Has Been a Russian Asset Since 1987?

A plausible theory of mind-boggling collusion.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/trump-putin-russia-collusion.html

“Russian intelligence..exerts different gradations of leverage over different kinds of people & uses a basic tool kit of blackmail that involves the exploitation of greed, stupidity, ego, and sexual appetite. All of which are traits Trump has in abundance.”- @JonathanChait, NYMag

“Will Trump Be Meeting With His Counterpart — Or His Handler?”
If it& #39;s Handler, media trepidation allows it to hide in plain sight. “[M]edia has treated the notion that Russia has personally compromised the president...as something close to a kook theory.”
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/trump-putin-russia-collusion.html">https://nymag.com/daily/int...

“the new Promised Land: Competitive Authoritarianism, a form of European single-party rule that retains a veneer of democracy while skewing the contest sufficiently to ensure it is likely to yield only one result.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/opinion/sunday/orban-hungary-kaczynski-poland.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/0...

Create chaos, then the redeemers.
Putin/Trump World Order— Oligarchies of dog-eat-dog billionaires with a cultlike leader/“redeemer" who sees “institutions & laws as the corrupt barriers between leader & folk that must be circumvented or destroyed” -Snyder, The Road to Unfreedom)

“House of Trump: House of Putin” Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia. Why do GOPers support Trump?? They love those rubles from the kleptocracy Putin built. They want to be on the ground floor of building one in America. http://www.nationalmemo.com/house-trump-house-putin-russian-mafia/">https://www.nationalmemo.com/house-tru...

House Of Trump, House Of Putin: The Untold Story Of Donald Trump And The Russian Mafia - The...

This book tells the story of one of the greatest intelligence operations in history, which placed a willfully ignorant or inexplicably unaware Russian asset in the White House.

http://www.nationalmemo.com/house-trump-house-putin-russian-mafia/

Money laundering in plain sight –
For 20 years, Deutsche Bank was just a passthrough for Trump to clean Russian oligarch money. Kleptocracies must launder money to survive.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/18/business/deutsche-bank-donald-trump.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/1...

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