Why Is Trump Allowing Advisers Paid By Putin (& His Allies) Access To Classified Intel?

Donald Trump’s repeatedly proven himself unfit to be commander-in-chief. From his juvenile temperament to his disdain for the First and Fourteenth Amendment, Trump clearly isn’t qualified. In terms of global affairs, Trump’s ignorance is as glaring as his shift to a distinctly pro-Putin foreign policy doctrine. And the pivot isn’t just rhetorical; Trump’s also brought on advisers cozy with and paid by Putin and his allies — advisers who appear to have significantly shaped Trump’s policy ideas, and with whom he might be sharing any classified intelligence.

Questions driving the day, as Trump gets his first classified briefing as the GOP nominee:

1. Is Donald Trump purposefully allowing individuals previously paid by Russia and pro-Putin allies access to classified intelligence?

2. Trump’s irresponsible conspiracy mongering and rhetoric are highly dangerous, but is this the most direct threat to our country’s national security that Trump’s engineered to date?

The answer to each appears to be “yes.”

Paul Manafort, alleged anti-Nato propagandist for pro-Putin Ukranians

Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort may have received as much as $12.7 million from Vladimir Putin allies in Ukraine; in part, a Ukrainian prosecutor believes, for “orchestrat[ing] a series of [2006] anti-Nato, anti-Kiev protests in Crimea led by Viktor Yanukovych’s pro-Russian Party of Regions — now designated a criminal organisation.”

Is it any coincidence that Manafort has Trump advocating the same anti-Nato agenda he was pushing for pro-Putin forces in Ukraine? And is anyone paying for Manafort’s lobbying this time?

Even with today’s faux staff shakeup, Manafort remains in Trump’s inner circle. Will Trump share what he learns at the briefing with Manafort — “undisclosed foreign lobbying” history, and all?

Ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, beneficiary of Russia paychecks

In late 2015, Russia’s state-run RT paid Flynn to appear and participate in an interview at a Moscow gala it was hosting.

At the event, Flynn not only advocated a more pro-Russia U.S. foreign policy, but also even got seated right next to Vladimir Putin, himself.

Trump brought Flynn on as a foreign policy adviser despite the fact that Trump just last night claimed that he’d ban any “senior officials” from accepting speaking fees from “any entity tied to a foreign government.”

And at today’s classified briefing, Flynn will be sitting right next to Donald Trump.

Ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn sitting to next to Vladimir Putin at a RT gala in 2015 (Source: https://wapo.st/2bkkiiC)

Background here.

Published: Aug 17, 2016