Trump's world in those days was at the very least mob-adjacent, from his close relationship with Roy Cohn, his reliance on NYC concrete for the construction of Trump Tower under suspiciously favorable circumstances and his spectacularly unsuccessful involvement in the gambling business, all at about the same time that the Russian mob's influence was growing. His father's mob connections and political ties were no secret, either. There's a lot of smoke there.
Agreed. The 'mob-adjacent' aspect would track with him being 'just fine' with Russian mob money fueling his efforts and/or bailing him out of difficult circumstances.Bogatin is a clear example. But that doesn't get us all the way to espionage/KGB. But KGB was 'mob-adjacent' too....
Michael, if Trump's financial status turned out so bad, then spending 100K on KGB friendly ads in leading Western publications after his return from Moscow out of his own pocket in 1987, seams less and less likely. If so, then in some way he must have spent KGB money.
Fair point. It's unclear to me whether Trump's financial stresses ever reached the point where his liquidity was drastically restricted. That would be another layer of analysis and I"m not sure we have access to the data. Fair point, though.
Was the kompromat operation actually centred on Jeffrey Epstein? How many influential Americans did he “entertain” in New York and on his private island?
Interesting idea. I have tended to focus on the money, but a honey pot on an industrial scale, such as Epstein was running, that's an interesting question. Never heard one thing about Epstein being compromised, though. Trump, now: I remember reading gossip items in the nineties saying he was getting money from Russian mobsters. What if Trump was more of an active agent, and set Epstein up as King Pimp of South Florida to compromise the rich and well connected. Far out idea, but then, stranger things have happened.
Do you have any insight into why Trump (known for stiffing vendors) was so prompt in paying Kislin for the 200 Commodore Hotel TV sets? Curious how that relationship came about in the first place...
Your reporting 1987 obfuscates the utter failure, or compliance, whichever dismal accounting of the Intelligence Community’s incompetence prevails in the history of this debacle, needs revision. You owe it to your readers. Furthermore if the NSW government in Australia has a form of freedom of information/transparency law it would behoove Oz and USA to get that documentation and prove QED that Agent Krasnov needs an Article 25 action filed.
If Trump is controlled by anyone it is Israel through the Epstein program.
It appears they are reinforcing this control through the influencer, an updated version of a prior honeypot placed within kneeling distance of a president.
Trump's world in those days was at the very least mob-adjacent, from his close relationship with Roy Cohn, his reliance on NYC concrete for the construction of Trump Tower under suspiciously favorable circumstances and his spectacularly unsuccessful involvement in the gambling business, all at about the same time that the Russian mob's influence was growing. His father's mob connections and political ties were no secret, either. There's a lot of smoke there.
Agreed. The 'mob-adjacent' aspect would track with him being 'just fine' with Russian mob money fueling his efforts and/or bailing him out of difficult circumstances.Bogatin is a clear example. But that doesn't get us all the way to espionage/KGB. But KGB was 'mob-adjacent' too....
I couldn’t tell espionage from third base, as you know. Sadly, I know a thing or two about funky real estate stuff.
MS, It might be useful to know more about Trump's father's bio, his mob connections and his political views especially regarding Communism/Russia.
Michael, if Trump's financial status turned out so bad, then spending 100K on KGB friendly ads in leading Western publications after his return from Moscow out of his own pocket in 1987, seams less and less likely. If so, then in some way he must have spent KGB money.
Fair point. It's unclear to me whether Trump's financial stresses ever reached the point where his liquidity was drastically restricted. That would be another layer of analysis and I"m not sure we have access to the data. Fair point, though.
The filings from his first bankruptcy should lay that out.
Was the kompromat operation actually centred on Jeffrey Epstein? How many influential Americans did he “entertain” in New York and on his private island?
Was it one enormous honey trap?
Raising a question for me - does J Epstein's /G Maxwell's guest list include anyone with ties to KGB?
Interesting idea. I have tended to focus on the money, but a honey pot on an industrial scale, such as Epstein was running, that's an interesting question. Never heard one thing about Epstein being compromised, though. Trump, now: I remember reading gossip items in the nineties saying he was getting money from Russian mobsters. What if Trump was more of an active agent, and set Epstein up as King Pimp of South Florida to compromise the rich and well connected. Far out idea, but then, stranger things have happened.
Wow. This makes a lot of his former behavior make sense... Great article!
I've long suspected a "Manchurian Candidate" connection (early 2000's) with the orange one. Looks like I was very close to being spot on.......
SHARE BIGLY
Do you have any insight into why Trump (known for stiffing vendors) was so prompt in paying Kislin for the 200 Commodore Hotel TV sets? Curious how that relationship came about in the first place...
Start a podcast
Made it to the end and look forward to more. 👍
He was ‘recruited’ as you put it in 1980, not 1987. The mafia mentioned in the 2017 Guardian article
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/16/trumps-bid-for-sydney-casino-30-years-ago-rejected-due-to-mafia-connections
was obviously the RUSSIAN mafia, as Craig Unger’s YouTube interview show (2 min + point), “it goes back to 1980”
https://youtu.be/YsIntuxmXf0?si=SQTSeklMu3poWdJ_
Your reporting 1987 obfuscates the utter failure, or compliance, whichever dismal accounting of the Intelligence Community’s incompetence prevails in the history of this debacle, needs revision. You owe it to your readers. Furthermore if the NSW government in Australia has a form of freedom of information/transparency law it would behoove Oz and USA to get that documentation and prove QED that Agent Krasnov needs an Article 25 action filed.
If Trump is controlled by anyone it is Israel through the Epstein program.
It appears they are reinforcing this control through the influencer, an updated version of a prior honeypot placed within kneeling distance of a president.