Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and President Donald Trump at the White House last week. Photo Credit: @RusEmbUSA
Washington Post: Russian ambassador told Moscow that Kushner wanted secret communications channel with Kremlin
Jared Kushner and Russia’s ambassador to Washington discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel between Trump’s transition team and the Kremlin, using Russian diplomatic facilities in an apparent move to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring, according to U.S. officials briefed on intelligence reports.
Ambassador Sergei Kislyak reported to his superiors in Moscow that Kushner, son-in-law and confidant to then-President-elect Trump, made the proposal during a meeting on Dec. 1 or 2 at Trump Tower, according to intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by U.S. officials. Kislyak said Kushner suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States for the communications.
The meeting also was attended by Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser.
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WNU Editor: This is not the first time that the Washington Post (and the same reporters) are pushing a back-channel to Russia story .... Was A Trump-Putin Back Channel Established Between The Founder Of Blackwater And A Close Friend of Putin? (April 3, 2017). The April 3 story on Erik Prince being the back-channel to Russia became a dud when no evidence or collaboration from other "anonymous" sources came forward. Is this new Washington Post story on Jared Kushner also a dud .... I do not know. But the template is the same .... anonymous intel officials telling the Washington Post that the Trump administration wants to have a direct line of communications to Moscow that is independent from all other U.S. agencies. As to what is my take .... quoting from my April 3 post ....
.... Back channels are always established when new administrations are sworn in. Did the Obama administration have back channels with Russia .... most definitely. Does the Trump administration have back channels with Russia .... I can only say that I hope so. Should I be surprised that someone like Blackwater founder Erik Prince (and I can now say Jared Kushner) was trying to set one up in the Seychelles .... I would just say that because he is well known, he is probably the wrong person to be involved.
