+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Russian officials reportedly discussed having 'derogatory' information about Trump

Aug 26, 2024, 02:14 IST
Thomson ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump reacts after a family photo at the G7 Summit expanded session in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, May 27, 2017.US intelligence officials intercepted conversations between Russian government officials during the campaign last year in which they discussed having potentially "derogatory" financial information about President Donald Trump and his associates, CNN reported on Tuesday morning.

The news comes days after the Washington Post's explosive report that Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, suggested setting up a secret communications backchannel with Moscow during a meeting with Russia's ambassador in December.

It also comes on the heels of reports by Reuters and the New York Times that the FBI is examining whether Sergey Gorkov, the CEO of the sanctioned Vnesheconombank, suggested to Kushner when they met in December that Russian banks could finance Trump associates' business ventures if US sanctions were lifted or relaxed.

Russian officials reportedly believed "they had the ability to influence the administration through the derogatory information," according to CNN, but it is unclear when during the election the conversation took place. It is also unclear whether the Russians were exaggerating their leverage.

Advertisement

The US persons named by the Russians were masked in the intelligence reports, but US officials told CNN it was clear they were discussing Trump and his associates.

CNN and the New York Times have reported over the last couple weeks that the Russians bragged about having influence over Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

A dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele at the request of anti-Trump Republicans last year - and presented by top US intelligence officials to Trump and President Barack Obama in January - said that the Kremlin had kompromat, or compromising information, that could be used against Trump and his associates in the future.

NOW WATCH: Watch Trump appear to push NATO's newest leader as he makes his way to the front of the pack

Please enable Javascript to watch this video
You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article