The NYT report said the intel community concerns were about a “tactical error”—that the conclusion Russia is benefiting Trump should have been stated “less pointedly” or Pierson should have “left it out.” Tapper’s IC source says the intelligence doesn’t support such a conclusion.
Tapper’s anonymous source characterized the Russians’ impressions of Trump as “a dealmaker” and “someone they can work with”—terms the president would likely find flattering, but does not explain why the Russians, thus minded, would not favor Trump again as they had in 2016.
It’s not clear what supports the Tapper Source’s claim that the Russians view Trump as a “dealmaker.” Publicly, he’s withdrawn from deals, like the INF Treaty, but he hasn’t made any afaik. Russians said a couple months ago that the New Start treaty would expire w/o replacement.
And the cycle is completed.
