Trump compromised by Russian intelligence, reports say

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.

The allegations are unverified, and the report contains errors.

The document was prepared for political opponents of Trump by a person who is understood to be a former British intelligence agent. It is not just unconfirmed: It includes some clear errors. The report misspells the name of one company, “Alpha Group,” throughout. It is Alfa Group. The report says the settlement of Barvikha, outside Moscow, is “reserved for the residences of the top leadership and their close associates.” It is not reserved for anyone, and it is also populated by the very wealthy.

Every other country in the world, he beats his chest and acts macho, but when it comes to Putin he bows down, worshipping the ground on which he walks and praising pretty much everything he does.

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.

Such as Israel/Netanyahu? He's already met Bibi at Trump Tower, promised to move the Embassy to Jerusalem, and condemned UNSCR 2344 (from Twitter, of course) which not even 1 of the 15 UNSC members voted against.

Hmm so macho! Imagine if he had a meeting with Putin in Trump Tower... But yes, Trump is uniquely unequivocally pro-Russia?

Not that the point isn't valid, but Israel-US relations have always been extremely close. Bibi isn't quite on the level of Xi Jinping.

A bit of a simplification, but I concede this to be mostly true - not that it changes the fact that the OP's claim was demonstrably false.

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.

Knowing Trump as we do, a man surrounded and dogged by disturbing allegations of gross sexual behaviour, it isn't at all difficult to imagine that (a) the FSB and possibly other agencies would seek and locate compromising material on him and that (b) he did it. I don't see a problem with that picture. If anything, it explains his strange behaviour of repeatedly lauding Putin and his policies and apparently being desperate to wind up NATO and diss anyone who stands up to Cousin Vladimir.

I've just been searching the various well known sites to see if there's much to support this "it was 4chan" angle and I can't see a lot. In fact, the MI6 agent in question is apparently highly regarded internationally and surely would not fall for an obvious faking attempt.

Knowing Trump as we do, a man surrounded and dogged by disturbing allegations of gross sexual behaviour, it isn't at all difficult to imagine that (a) the FSB and possibly other agencies would seek and locate compromising material on him and that (b) he did it. I don't see a problem with that picture. If anything, it explains his strange behaviour of repeatedly lauding Putin and his policies and apparently being desperate to wind up NATO and diss anyone who stands up to Cousin Vladimir.

The man coming into office is a crook, a pervert and a conman who has caved to Russian blackmail. All the right wing evasions and tricks in the world won't be able to conceal that.

It's weird seeing such hypocritical, nonsensical, utterly stupid logic from someone clearly very educated and smart.

Hardly. People like Mehdi Hasan and Noam Chomsky are very educated and smart too. Clearly, being educated doesn't guarantee that someone won't be crap at being objective about something on which they already have an opinion.

This highly regarded MI6 agent failed to provide any proof or evidence what so ever in his report. So there's that.
And Jesus Christ you're logic is astonishing. There's zero evidence, none whatsoever, such an absence of evidence that for almost two months no reputable media outlet would go near this story, but because it fits with your agenda and political bias you think it's plausibly true? For real?!
Incidentally I remember when i debunked a meme you posted about Donald Trump saying if he ever ran for office he'd run as a Republican because Republican voters are stupid, and your response was along the lines of 'yeah but it sounds like something he'd say so I still think it's true'.
It's weird seeing such hypocritical, nonsensical, utterly stupid logic from someone clearly very educated and smart.
Hell this consultant who wrote the report might have had the same logic as you 'I don't like Trump, this fits in with my bias, sounds legit, must be true,' which would explain why the report was so sloppy, with no supporting evidence and full of factual inaccuracies.