Former KGB spy Yuri Shvets reveals how Russian intelligence identified and cultivated Donald Trump as a political asset for decades.
Former KGB spy Yuri Shvets has revealed that Russia cultivated Trump as a political asset for over 40 years, identifying him as the “perfect target” due to his vanity and susceptibility to flattery. In the 1980s, KGB operatives first took notice of Trump when he married his first wife, Ivana, a Czech model. Soviet intelligence officers monitored him through Czechoslovakian spies, recognizing his business ambitions and potential political influence.
According to Shvets, Russian agents used a “charm offensive” to groom Trump, feeding him anti-Western talking points and encouraging his political aspirations. When he visited Moscow in 1987, the KGB reinforced this strategy, persuading him to consider a run for office. Soon after his return, Trump took out a full-page newspaper ad criticizing NATO and America’s allies—a move celebrated in Moscow as a successful intelligence operation.
Though Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia, investigations have documented at least 272 contacts between Trump associates and Russian operatives. Shvets argues that Mueller’s report failed to explore the full counterintelligence implications of Russia’s long-term investment in Trump.
Shvets and journalist Craig Unger claim that Trump’s presidency was the culmination of decades of Russian influence operations. Whether or not he was a willing participant, the evidence suggests that Russia cultivated Trump for strategic advantage—making him, in their view, the most successful intelligence asset in modern history.
Read the full article to learn how Russian intelligence shaped Trump’s political trajectory, from The Guardian.
Comments