Back Channels

Back Channels:  This is bigly.  Last December, in a meeting also attended by former security adviser Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner tried to arrange a secret, back channel communication facility with Russian Ambassador Kislyak to facilitate conversations with Moscow about Syria strategy and other policy issues.  Kushner wanted Kislyak to host the facility at the Russian Embassy because he thought that Russia’s cryptologic systems would allow them to avoid US oversight. They also discussed the possibility of having a discrete meeting in a foreign country. Kislyak was “overheard” reporting Kushner’s request to Moscow and even he thought it was unusual.  The Washington Post became aware of Kushner’s request when they received a letter from an undisclosed informant in December but it took them until this week to confirm details.  If true, it’s hard to believe that Trump wasn’t aware of Kushner’s activities and it would explain why Trump was so reluctant to fire Flynn and why he continues to support him.  Kushner “accidentally” omitted his meeting with Kislyak on his security clearance forms.  Yesterday, the Republican and Democratic heads of the Senate Intelligence committee reported that they have now requested all of Trump’s Russia-related campaign files.

More Undisclosed Meetings:  Last night, Reuters reported that Kushner also “forgot” to mention at least three other contacts with Russians.  Among other things, the FBI is examining whether the Russians “suggested to Kushner that relaxing economic sanctions would allow Russian banks to offer financing to people with ties to Trump.” When asked about these additional calls, Kushner’s lawyer said that Kushner “participated in thousands of calls in this time period.  He has no recollection of the calls as described.”  In and of themselves the meetings and calls, while very disturbing, may not be illegal, but failing to mention them on security forms is a bigly problem.   Oddly enough, it’s been reported that together with Steve Bannon, Kushner, who is either incredibly naïve or very duplicitous is supposed to head up Trump’s Russian crisis team which only makes sense to Donald J. Trump.  One of the first tasks of the crisis team may be to subject all of Trump’s tweets to  legal review, which may be the least of their problems.      

That Foreign Meeting:  It doesn’t appear that a “back channel” was ever set up in Kislyak’s cone of silence but, as reported in April, after the Kislyak discussion a Trump emissary made an odd overseas trip.  Blackwater founder Erik Prince, brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, travelled to the Seychelle islands in early January for a meeting with a close Putin associate. Prince, a friend of Flynn, went in his place because it would have been harder for the more visible Flynn to keep his travel plans below the radar.  Again, the reported purpose of this mission was to arrange for back channel communications between the Trump team and Putin.  The meeting was arranged by a United Arabs Emirates Prince, not to be confused with Erik, who is not royalty but is a member of the billionaire Mercer family.  Together with Kushner’s Kislyak conversation, this is either the plot of a really bad movie or these guys are all crazy and the rest of us are living a bizarre nightmare.      

The European Trip:  Trump should have stayed in the Middle East, which despite Saudi maps and Trump’s limited knowledge of geography, does include Israel, or he should have tried treating our European allies with the deference that he accorded the Saudi sheiks.  His bull-in-a-china shop approach to diplomacy hasn’t been going over all that well in Europe.  He may have insulted Germany by calling them out as bad or evil depending on the translation, he’s publicly chastised all of them for underpaying their NATO dues, he’s upset the Brits over leaked Manchester pictures (although that one probably wasn’t his doing), and he shoved the Montenegro leader.  Whether he’s in cahoots with Putin or not, he’s mostly been adhering to the Putin playbook leaving economic adviser Gary Cohn, Secretary of State Tillerson and Security Adviser McMaster doing clean-up in aisle Trump. Cohn had to explain that if he said Germany was bad, Trump was only referring to their trade practices, Tillerson had to assure the Brits that contrary to evidence Trump really can keep secrets and McMaster, who thought he got the “all for one and one for all” provision included in Trump’s NATO speech, has had to provide reassurance that Trump would honor NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense commitment.   

Paris Climate Accords:  European allies are also very concerned about the state of the Paris Climate Accords and have been spending a considerable amount of time trying to educate Trump on climate change science.  The Pope, who not so subtlety gifted Trump his encyclical on climate change during their Vatican meeting, is also pushing for Trump to keep the US in the accords.  Cohn and Tillerson are on team Paris Accords as well.  However, a group of 22 Republican Senators including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are urging Trump to make a clean exit from the Paris agreement. Trump’s decision is expected soon.  

From the Peanut Gallery:  Former Speaker of the House John Boehner, who describes himself as a longtime Trump friend,  took a moment out of his happy retirement routine of relaxation, red wine and cigarettes to say that most of what Trump has done so far is a disaster.  Clinton, speaking at her alma mater Wellesley’s graduation ceremony, compared Trump to Nixon.  Despite her election loss, she hasn’t lost her sense of humor.

Enjoy Memorial Day!