Thread by @DavidJollyFL

Something I don't speak about frequently but am reminded of each time Trump expresses resentment that his campaign's contacts with Russia were surveilled:

In Congress, I received a private invite for a very delicate international meeting. Importantly for this thread, it was *personally arranged* not through traditional diplomatic or intel channels, a lawful invitation, but involving a highly sensitive security matter at the time.

The important thing is - I hoped, and expected, that US intelligence assets fully knew of my meetings. I hoped, and expected, that I was being surveilled. I hoped, and expected, that my takeaway from the exchanges would be supplemented by independent US intel takeaways as well.

You see, I hoped our agencies would benefit from uncoordinated intelligence surveillance, just as I hoped the Congress would benefit from my uncoordinated meetings as well. It was not the first, nor last time a single member of Congress will take such a meeting.

But I remember having a confidence, a quiet assurance, frankly a national pride, that our intel agencies had my back and could benefit in some way from the exchanges, even if I never saw it. Because my intent was patriotic and in the national interest.

By contrast, the simple reason Trump remains haunted to this day that his campaign and business contacts with Russia were surveilled by US officials is because his motives were clearly impure and were in conflict with our national interest. His behavior speaks for itself.

And the kicker: they knew.

And it all worked out.