Trump’s Explanation For Ignoring Russia Intel Is Looking Worse and Worse
—and even Republicans are demanding more information
| Vanity Fair
https://apple.news/AngqGBHgPQE2hAMLKfAVCJQ

The White House has apparently known of possible Russian bounties on Americans in Afghanistan since early 2019, pushing the timeline back A FULL YEAR EARLIER than when the administration was initially thought to have learned of the intelligence.
[Vanity Fair]

#ResignNowTrump

Associated Press reported that Trump was briefed at least twice on the Russian bounties in 2019, in his written daily intelligence briefings as well as by then-national security adviser John Bolton.
[ Vanity Fair]
#ResignNowTrump

Bolton declined to comment on this when asked Monday, but did suggest that Trump has a tendency to feign ignorance when trying to skirt accountability.
“He can disown everything if nobody told him about it,” Bolton said on Sunday’s Meet the Press.
[Vanity Fair]
#ResignNowTrump

The AP previously reported that Trump was again made aware of the Russian bounty allegations at least TWO MORE TIMES THIS YEAR, in another written presidential daily briefing as well as in a discussion with national security adviser Robert O’Brien
[Vanity Fair]

#ResignNowTrump

O’Brien denied discussing the intelligence with Trump and on Monday said the assessments “have not been verified.”

It is “rare for intelligence to be confirmed without a shadow of a doubt before it is presented to top officials.
[Vanity Fair]

#ResignNowTrump

Some lawmakers called for more information to be presented and for Russia to be punished if the intelligence is found to be true. [WaPo]
Senators Cory Gardner and Thom Tillis called for Russia to be treated as a state sponsor of terrorism.
[Vanity Fair]

#ResignNowTrump

Sen. Ben Sasse called on Congress to find out “Who knew what, when, and did the Trump know? And if not, how the hell not?” noting if the intel is deemed accurate, “the proportional cost in response” would “mean Taliban and GRU body bags.”
[Vanity Fair]

#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing

Trump has yet to authorize a response despite reports of potential options developed by career government officials, raising questions of government inaction and Trump’s kid gloves approach to Russia.
[Vanity Fair]

#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing

Those familiar with Trump’s phone calls with world leaders like Putin and Erdogan were so concerned by what they heard that they concluded Trump “posed a danger to the national security of the United States.”
[CNN] [Vanity Fair]

#ResignNowTrump
#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing

So Trump was reportedly briefed on the Russian bounties four times since early in 2019 —yet he took no punitive actions against Putin. And since NYT exposed that, Trump still expresses NO OUTRAGE nor CONDEMNATION of his buddy Putin.

That makes me sick.

#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing

. @Lawrence reminds us tonight that the WH sources who leaked information to the Times about the Russian Bounties on American troops, HAD TO, because Trump and congressional republicans have destroyed Whistleblower protections.

#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing
#AmericaStrongerWithBiden

Trump was Putin power by the Russian president.
Putin owns Trump

Opinion |
Here's why Trump wouldn't have won without Russia
By Max Boot
| Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/editorial/opinion--heres-why-trump-wouldnt-have-won-without-russia/2018/07/30/e4098f1e-93ff-11e8-818b-e9b7348cd87d_video.html

#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing
#wednesdaymorning

Suspicions of Russian Bounties Were Bolstered by Intercepted Data on Financial Transfers (from a bank account controlled by Russia’s military intelligence to a Taliban-linked account)
| New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/us/politics/russian-bounties-afghanistan-intelligence.html

#PentagonLeak
#WednesdayMorning
#WednesdayWisdom

Analysts concluded the transfers were most likely part of the bounty program that detainees described during interrogations.

Data shows large financial transfers from a bank account controlled by Russia’s GRU to a Taliban-linked account.
#PentagonLeak
#wednesdaymorning

Investigators also identified by name, numerous Afghans in a network linked to the suspected Russian operation — one is now believed to be in Russia.

https://twitter.com/moopersists/status/1278277518999470080?s=21

#PentagonLeak
#wednesdaymorning
#WednesdayWisdom

On Monday, 3 administration officials briefed several House Republicans on the intelligence:
Ratcliffe
O’Brien
Meadows
All claimed that recent news reports about Afghanistan remained unsubstantiated.

#PentagonLeak
#wednesdaymorning
#WednesdayWisdom

But, even preaching to the choir, the Trump-splainers’ briefing left out the data intercepts and money trail to downplay the intelligence as too uncertain to brief the president.
Bcuz, that’ll stop the questioning.
#WednesdayMorning
#WednesdayWisdom

https://twitter.com/moopersists/status/1278287291228667904?s=21 https://twitter.com/moopersists/status/1278287291228667904