BREAKING NEWS: Trump Wants to Check in with Putin Privately and in Person Pre-election
PS/ I had never even seriously entertained the possibility that Trump would flee the U.S. in 2021 to evade federal prosecution if he loses the election in November, but him wanting to talk to Putin in a manner no one can overhear has made me suspicious of this for the first time.
PS2/ I disagree with those who believe such a meeting would relate to pre-election election interference—as I think we can all agree that Trump knows he will already be receiving this from the Kremlin without the need for any in-person check-in with Putin. It would be extraneous.
PS3/ So I think that any criminal investigator or counterintelligence official would ask themselves what sort of thing Trump could only discuss directly with Putin in a room without translators present. There are many possibilities, but post-election plans could certainly be one.
PS4/ There are other topics that would be even more likely, however. For instance, while there is no need whatsoever for Putin to discuss his election interference directly with Trump, Trump got that interference in 2016 by making policy promises to Putin. He might do that again.
PS5/ Side note: I wonder if Trumpists realize the reason Trump critics never actually accused Trump of conspiring in 2016 Kremlin interference *before-the-fact*—rather than being bribed, and aiding it ex post—is there was never *any* reason for Putin to check in with Trump on it?
PS6/ Even in private—as both Putin and Trump know their prior course of bribery, aiding/abetting, obstruction, and collusion ensures Putin will keep aiding Trump precisely as the US intel community says—there's no reason for them to have an explicit conversation re: interference.
