Trump compromised by Russian intelligence, reports say

Whats happening with Pizzagate? is that still being pushed?

Reply 22

Joep95

Also it should be noted that the FBI have been investigating this for months and they said said that there is no clear links to russia

Reply 23

Joep95

Original post by 999tigger

Whats happening with Pizzagate? is that still being pushed?

Some guy walking into a restaurant in a place that doesn't allow open carry kind of killed the story

Reply 24

Original post by Mactotaur

Enjoying watersports is not huge blackmail material. If Trump has been blackmailed, there is surely something bigger than this being held over him.

It will be something worse - my guess is rape or similar.

The Marine Marching Band will be adding lines at the moment - "Hail to the Chief Pervert".

Reply 25

The funniest thing so far in this story is that James Comey, FBI Director, has refused to comment on the file having been handed to him for investigation last month. "I would never comment on investigations … in a public forum" he told the Senate.

One standard for Hillary, another altogether for Trump. :rolleyes:

Reply 26

Us3rn4me

4chan prank

God I'm sick of this anti-Russian crap

How can anyone believe a show like RT had the power to influence the elections so much? they were never pro-Trump, they were very critical of Hillary, but never pro-Trump.. they gave Sanders a lot of attention, and third party candidates.

Why is it wrong that we have good relations with Russia? Why are they considered our enemy exactly?

Reply 27

Original post by AlexanderHam

It's unfortunate President Obama let them push him around.

I don't think it's quite accurate that Obama "let Russia push him around" - that's a Trump campaign line by the way, so I'm puzzled to see you repeating it if you are so anti-Trump. What actually happened was that Obama was deeply concerned about the remaining vast size of the nuclear arsenals and the existence of one of those arsenals in the hands of Moscow Gangsters Inc. So he moved carefully to persuade the Russians to join him in reduction steps and he tried as a quid pro quo to not hassle them too much. I suspect the Americans green-lighted the Crimea action, but the step too far was the covert and not-so-covert war in Ukraine, which has become a running sore - Syria was the completion of the collapse in relations. Obama responded by stiffening NATO resolve in E. Europe and ignoring Russian protests about missile placements and by expanding the Magnitsky Act and introducing widespread sanctions on Russian officials. It's difficult to interpret these steps as being "pushed around".

If you're talking about Syria specifically, it would have been a nightmare for full on the ground US and/or NATO involvement and I think Obama has gone as far as he could short of that. Note that Trump's plan is utterly confused so far on this key topic.

Reply 28

pol pot noodles

So many things wrong with this scandal-
Buzzfeed themselves have a disclaimer that the allegations in the intelligence report are unproven, potentially unprovable and full of inaccuracies. Yet they printed something so inflammatory anyway? That's shockingly unethical. Liberals can not pretend to be so morally righteous and keep complaining about 'fake' news if they keep pushing this smear story.
Do they not realise how much political capital this will give Trump to go after the media when he's president?

Also, more and more evidence is coming out that some of the claims (e.g. water sports at the hotel) did originate as a 4Chan prank/sting operation. Others seem to have originated from Republican and Democrat commissioned attempts to find 'dirt' on Trump.
Let's not forget the FBI have already investigated and found no evidence of collaboration between Trump and Russia.

I'm calling it now: the story will die in a few weeks when no actual evidence is ever found, no retraction or apology will ever be issued but the liberal left will still cite this as evidence in arguments (much like pig-gate) while they will continue whining about fake right wing news brainwashing plebs.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 29

Original post by pol pot noodles

So many things wrong with this scandal-
Buzzfeed themselves have a disclaimer that the allegations in the intelligence report are unproven, potentially unprovable and full of inaccuracies. Yet they printed something so inflammatory anyway? That's shockingly unethical. Liberals can not pretend to be so morally righteous and keep complaining about 'fake' news if they keep pushing this smear story.
Do they not realise how much political capital this will give Trump to go after the media when he's president?

Also, more and more evidence is coming out that some of the claims (e.g. water sports at the hotel) did originate as a 4Chan prank/sting operation. Others seem to have originated from Republican and Democrat commissioned attempts to find 'dirt' on Trump.
Let's not forget the FBI have already investigated and found no evidence of collaboration between Trump and Russia.

I'm calling it now: the story will die in a few weeks when no actual evidence is ever found, no retraction or apology will ever be issued but the liberal left will still cite this as evidence in arguments (much like pig-gate) while they will continue whining about fake right wing news brainwashing plebs.

What's the evidence that the watersports allegation originated with 4chan?

Reply 30

Aj12

18

This is interesting, and does a good job of filling in gaps, and explaining why Trump took some of his odd policy decisions. The stuff about sexual acts seems pretty true to form for him as well. The stuff about sweet deals being thrown at him by Putin is almost certainly true, we've already seen a number of nations take similar steps with regards to the Trump brand.

However, as they've been clear to make out, this is completely unverifiable. I think Trump will swan through this quite easily, the Republicans are so high on their control their bar for scandal would be Trump streaming a golden shower in the Oval Office. There is enough plausible deniability within this for him to shrug it off. And of course, maybe it is a complete fake, or massively exaggerated, spelling errors and factual mistakes are not encouraging for something that came from a former intelligence officer. The best we can hope for is this forms yet another seed of doubt in House Republicans. Maybe when his presidency kicks into gear we can hope they will act when he does go too far.

Reply 31

jape

16

Original post by AlexanderHam

Just enjoying watersports by itself would be embarrassing and humiliating to a man like Trump who is obsessed with avoiding humiliation. But the idea that he had prostitutes do golden showers on the bed the Obamas had slept in, out of resentment and bitterness against President Obama... it shows he's mental. He wouldn't want that to come out.

But the report says that's only one thing, and I suspect there are many peccadillos and other compromising material they have. The fact of merely carrying on a relationship with Russian intelligence is something that could be used to blackmail. him

I read something claiming that the Obama-Watersports thing was a tongue-in-cheek fanfiction picked up, believed and legitimized by CIA official, failed Presidential Candidate and bitterly anti-Trump vagabond Evan McMullin.

No idea if its true, no particular reason to think that it is or isn't, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. It's the sort of depraved thing I'd expect to come out of /pol/.

Reply 32

AlexanderHam

OP

Original post by jape

I read something claiming that the Obama-Watersports thing was a tongue-in-cheek fanfiction picked up, believed and legitimized by CIA official, failed Presidential Candidate and bitterly anti-Trump vagabond Evan McMullin.

The Trumpkins are desperately claiming the whole report was drafted by Evan McMullin. Except we know that's not true; it was put together by a former British intelligence officer who has excellent connections in Russia and who has been widely said to be extremely competent and highly-respected.

Reply 33

AlexanderHam

OP

Original post by pol pot noodles

Also, more and more evidence is coming out that some of the claims (e.g. water sports at the hotel) did originate as a 4Chan prank/sting operation.

You seem really pissed :lol:

Err, 4chan is a forum, not a group.

And for all the hysterical Trumptards running around shrieking "Fake news! 4chan!"., there's no evidence whatsoever for this except a screenshot from some random guy claiming that is the case.

The Trumptards also claimed Evan McMullin was the source for this report, but we now know it was put together by a highly-respected, well-connected former MI6 officer.

The Trumpkin tears are so delicious. It's quite entertaining to see you freaking the **** out

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 34

jape

16

Original post by AlexanderHam

The Trumpkins are desperately claiming the whole report was drafted by Evan McMullin. Except we know that's not true; it was put together by a former British intelligence officer who has excellent connections in Russia and who has been widely said to be extremely competent and highly-respected.

I'm just glad something is finally coming out, even if it's unverified documents published on BuzzFeed.

Reply 35

AlexanderHam

OP

Original post by jape

I'm just glad something is finally coming out, even if it's unverified documents published on BuzzFeed.

It seems interesting how some sources are really pushing this "unverified" angle (the media reports things that are far less substantial than this, all the time). But even taken at its lowest, the story is still astonishing that a former MI6 officer, one who is widely respected and viewed as competent and serious, put together a report which was viewed as being so credible and serious that it was included in the top-secret intelligence summary given to the president.

Also separate to the report, the Guardian reported that the FBI applied to the FISA court for surveillance warrants against members of the Trump team on the basis of their being involved with Russian intelligence. That was before this report came to the FBI. The connections of Trump team members like Page Carter, Paul Manafort, Rex Tillerson and Michael Flynn, to Vladimir Putin, are well-known and beyond dispute. Trump would have no reason to (and every reason not to) bow down and bend over for Russia in the way he has, unless he was totally compromised. For every other foreign adversary, like China, he's constantly beating his chest and making threats. But when it comes to Russia, he bows down like a good little compromised agent.

The betting sites are offering good (and I mean good for the betting site, not for the bettor) odds on a Trump impeachment, and it is now considered by them to be quite likely. I agree with this; I think at some point the congressional Republicans will decide they just have to get rid of him, and it's much better to have a conventional republican like Mike Pence in the office of president.

Reply 36

3121

21

The ending part sounded like it'd make a good movie

Reply 37

pol pot noodles

Original post by Fullofsurprises

What's the evidence that the watersports allegation originated with 4chan?

There are numerous screenshots circulating Reddit of 4chan users in a pro-Donald Trump thread in the politics section scheming last year to see how absurd a story they can make liberal media fall for (akin to when they invent fake Facebook picture trends to troll feminists), and screenshots of them congratulating themselves today for the story breaking. They claim they gave the story to anti-Trump pundit Rick Wilson, after which it fell into the hands of an ex-British spook who was commissioned to find dirt on Trump. Hardline anti-Russia hawk John McCain then gave it to the FBI, and someone in the intelligence community decided to allow Buzzfeed see it. And here we are.
The 4chan angle is still being investigated, but it's certainly more reason to doubt the 'scandal' especially in the complete absence of any proof that it's real.

Reply 38

username2950448

Original post by pol pot noodles

So many things wrong with this scandal-
Buzzfeed themselves have a disclaimer that the allegations in the intelligence report are unproven, potentially unprovable and full of inaccuracies. Yet they printed something so inflammatory anyway? That's shockingly unethical. Liberals can not pretend to be so morally righteous and keep complaining about 'fake' news if they keep pushing this smear story.
Do they not realise how much political capital this will give Trump to go after the media when he's president?

Also, more and more evidence is coming out that some of the claims (e.g. water sports at the hotel) did originate as a 4Chan prank/sting operation. Others seem to have originated from Republican and Democrat commissioned attempts to find 'dirt' on Trump.
Let's not forget the FBI have already investigated and found no evidence of collaboration between Trump and Russia.

I'm calling it now: the story will die in a few weeks when no actual evidence is ever found, no retraction or apology will ever be issued but the liberal left will still cite this as evidence in arguments (much like pig-gate) while they will continue whining about fake right wing news brainwashing plebs.

Fully agree with this, liberals are just really bad losers and will make the most of every unverified report (and there are a lot of them!) out there. We saw that HC couldn't give her concession speech until the day after, so it appears her supporters are just as emotional and distraught.

Until the FBI come out with their own conclusions then this report isn't worth the ink it's printed on.

Reply 39

pol pot noodles