Episode 4: The Russian Asset

Athena Hope investigates the extensive ties between Donald Trump and the Russia oligarchs, revealing decades of financial and political connections as well as his compromised presidency. 

Sources/More Reading Material: https://linktr.ee/TAWEpisode4

Chapters

• 0:15 Intro
• 1:01 Main Content Intro
• 1:40 Main Content
• 10:48 Main Content Outro
• 14:26 Outro

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

Hello everyone, welcome to the Transgenders at War podcast, the show that focuses on transgender people, politics and how transgender people are affected by it. I'm your host, athena Hope. Today, we will be diving deep into the staggering extent of Donald Trump's connections to Russia and its oligarchs, backed by meticulous research and compelling evidence. Every time I create a new episode for the podcast, I end up doing extensive research into everything I talk about. Doing research on this topic, though, has left me shocked and bewildered at the sheer amount of evidence of Trump's involvement with Russia. Join me as we uncover the deep evidence of Trump's Russian influence that he doesn't want people to know. What does it mean to be a Russian asset, and how did one infiltrate the presidency? A Russian asset is someone who can be manipulated by Russian interests, often without realizing it. Donald Trump has had close ties with Russia long before he became president in 2016. In this episode, we will examine those connections. We'll take a look at his financial ties, political moves and personal relationships that shaped his career. We will also explore how Russian influence has affected his presidency, impacting his foreign policy and political rhetoric. Donald Trump's ties to Russia run deep, spanning over 40 years. His political interests began in 1987, just after his first visit to Moscow In Russia, he stayed at the National Hotel and the Lennon Suite, which marked the start of a long and complex relationship. Upon returning to America, trump's political ambitions suddenly blossomed. He spent about $100,000 on full-page newspaper ads promoting his political manifesto. This manifesto criticized US allies and calls for breaking away from NATO, a position he still holds today. This surge in political activity wasn't coincidental. It was influenced by Russian manipulation. Later that same year, trump published the Art of the Deal, which expressed interest in building real estate in a partnership with the Soviet government. His political career aligned with Russian interests from the very start. Throughout his career, trump has never criticized Putin or Russia and often appears submissive in their interactions. A Russian asset and a Russian agent are not the same thing. A Russian asset is someone who can be manipulated, while a Russian agent is someone who actively works for Russia.

Speaker 1: 2:48

The KGB was the main security and intelligence agency of the Soviet Union. It played a key role in keeping the Soviet Union's power through secret operations and gathering intelligence. The KGB handled foreign intelligence, domestic security and counterintelligence. It was the largest secret police and foreign intelligence organization in the world at its height. One of those KGB agents is named Yuri Shavets. Yuri Shavets was a high-ranking senior officer of the former KGB agency. Shavets was able to share, through interviews, more insight into the role the KGB played in directly recruiting Donald Trump. He revealed that the KGB used simple flattery to influence Trump. In terms of his personality, this guy is not a complicated cookie. He said His most important characteristics being low intellect paired with a big ego. This combination made him an easy target for skilled recruiters.

Speaker 1: 3:39

Russian intelligence uses methods to quietly gain power in other countries. They use a variety of leverage that adapts to work on different people. They use an essential toolkit of blackmail that involves the exploitation of greed, stupidity, ego and sexual appetite. Yuri Shavets revealed in 1987 Trump was fed KGB talking points and flattered by operatives who suggested he should enter politics. They took advantage of his weaknesses, acting as if they were very impressed by him and believed he could become president one day. They shared their KGB-crafted messages with him and it worked. Yuri explained that the KGB groomed Trump as a Russian asset and convinced him to run ads that attacked American alliances. They saw Trump's ad campaign as one of their biggest successes. The KGB called the ad one of their most successful operations. He said it was of significance to have three major American newspapers publish KGB propaganda.

Speaker 1: 4:32

In 2017, trump tweeted in all caps I have nothing to do with Russia. No deals, no loans, no, nothing. But the receipts we have don't match what he says. Trump's financial history is closely tied to Russia. In the 1990s, all of Trump's businesses were facing collapse, yet he was able to be saved with significant funding from the Russian oligarchs.

Speaker 1: 4:55

These oligarchs are seen as extensions of Russia's government. They act as unofficial envoys for Putin's foreign policy. An oligarch is a member of a small group of powerful individuals who hold wealth and influence. This term is linked to business leaders and former Soviet Union officials. They gained their fortunes after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of Russia. Vladimir Putin formed strong ties with Russia's elite. He allows them to accumulate wealth in exchange for their assistance with his political projects and affairs. They are often called Putin's shadow cabinet. These Russian oligarchs often act as extensions of the Russian government, particularly in Eastern and Central Europe, they build corrupt business ties with politicians in order to advance Russia's interests. Oligarchs who refuse to support Putin lose their wealth and power and are publicly humiliated.

Speaker 1: 5:45

In 2003, mikhail Khodorkovsky, the wealthiest man in Russia, was arrested for tax evasion. This was merely a legal excuse. The government seized his assets and he was forced to appear in court inside of a cage as punishment for opposing Putin. Afterward, he was thrown in prison. The result is a system where private citizens act on the government's behalf, blurring the lines between government officials and wealthy citizens. Oligarchs quickly learned to fear not aligning with Putin's interests. Donald Trump became indebted to these oligarchs and, in turn, to Putin himself.

Speaker 1: 6:18

In the 1990s, most of Trump's businesses were close to collapsing. In 1990, the Trump Organization had over $3.4 billion in debt. Trump himself was about $1 billion in debt. In 1992, he defaulted on the debt of his airline Trump's shuttle and had to give it to US Airways. Throughout the 1990s, trump's businesses kept losing money. In 1995, his tax return revealed a loss of nearly $1 billion. This was the only tax return of his available to the public. In 1996 and 1997, his casinos lost about $100 million. He was barely able to keep his businesses afloat thanks to the heavy financial support from his father, fred Trump.

Speaker 1: 7:00

Despite his father's financial support, trump still struggled. In 2004, his flagship company declared bankruptcy. Later, in 2009, another of his companies also filed for bankruptcy. That year he had to resign as the head of the board of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump gained a reputation for being so bad with money that New York bankers even created a term called the Donald Risk. A banker told the Atlantic News that major institutions in New York would not consider Trump for building projects due to the risk. However, donald Trump's financial luck would soon take a dramatic turn with his investments in Russia.

Speaker 1: 7:36

Following the 1998 economic collapse in Russia, wealthy oligarchs looked to invest their money in international real estate. The Trump Organization became an attractive option due to its appealing properties and lax reporting standards. Since 1998, many Trump-branded projects received significant financing from Russian sources. One of these was the Bayrock Group. This real estate company was founded by Tevrik Arif, a Russian oligarch. His company's headquarters were located directly in Trump Tower. According to a Bloomberg investigation, trump provided Russia with much of its real estate, specifically in the Trump World Tower. A third of the units sold by 2004 involved buyers linked to Russia. The Trump organization actively sought Russian clients. The area around Trump's Sunny Owls in Florida even earned the nickname Little Moscow. While these transactions are not inherently suspicious, they show that Trump's company understood its ties to Russian money and sought out relationships with oligarchs.

Speaker 1: 8:34

Many individual deals between Trump and Russian oligarchs drew attention. One notable deal involved an oligarch named Dmitry Robolov. In 2008, he purchased a mansion from Trump in Palm Beach. Trump had bought the mansion for around $53 million four years earlier. However, dmitry paid almost double that, around $100 million. Trump tried to explain that the high price was due to $25 million in renovations that he made. Such price spikes are red flags for money laundering in real estate. Senator Ron Wyden stated that this transaction is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for possible money laundering and illicit financial dealings with Russia. Russian oligarch Dmitry gained more attention during the final months of the 2016 election. His private plane was spotted in Las Vegas and Charlotte within hours of Trump's arrival in those cities. Trump has denied meeting him and has labeled it just a coincidence. The Trump Soho, now named the Donamik, is a luxury hotel condominium in Manhattan. It was completed in 2008 and illustrates how the Trump organization received funding from Russian sources. Most funding for the Trump Soho Hotel came from Russian oligarchs like Tevfik Arif, tamir Sapir and Alexander Mashkovic. Many of these investors face various criminal allegations that range from money laundering, smuggling and involvement with a prostitution ring.

Speaker 1: 9:57

Before Trump ran for president in 2016,. He often boasted about Russian investments in his projects. His sons, donald Jr and Eric, also echoed this sentiment in interviews. In 2008, trump Jr said Russians were a significant part of their assets. In 2014, his son, eric, noted that the Trump Organization thrived during the financial crisis directly due to Russian funding. Most real estate developers with tied foreign powers do not seek the presidency. Most presidents do not have such dealings with a hostile foreign power and most presidents do not need to have a special counsel investigate whether the president conspired with that nation's government. Trump's dramatic financial turn aligns perfectly with his investments and relationships in Russia, highlighting his obligations to Russian oligarchs and onto Putin himself.

Speaker 1: 10:48

The evidence of Donald Trump being a Russian asset is overwhelming so overwhelming I wouldn't be able to fit it into a single episode. Key proof I haven't talked about includes the 2016 and 2020 election interference reports from the Intelligence Committee. This group includes the CIA, fbi, nsa and others. The Mueller report also revealed Trump's criminal ties to Russia. Right-wing media like Fox News and podcasters push pro-Russian stories. They call intelligence reports deep state attacks. I haven't talked about the leaked Russian documents about Putin's plan to make Trump president. This evidence supports Russia's influence on American politics. Russia uses internet bots and troll farms to manipulate social media and stir division. This manipulation continues today. You can find sources and more reading material, such as the intelligence reports in the show notes. My investigation into Trump's ties to Russia is not the first, nor will it be the last to try to warn the American people.

Speaker 1: 11:45

The saddest part to everything about this is, even if Trump admitted to being a Russian asset, his Republican base would not care. With Russian help, trump has changed the Republican Party's views on allies. The party now sees Russia as a friend and our real allies as enemies. Unless significant ideological changes occur, the Republican Party will lead to America's destruction. It's foolish to think billionaires like Trump have your best interests at heart. Trump himself said he could shoot a person in the middle of the street and wouldn't lose a single supporter.

Speaker 1: 12:14

The Republican Party has been manipulated into believing that Trump is their only hope. They are told lies about a deep state preventing America from being great again and are instructed not to listen to experts or researchers. They believe that Trump was sent from God to save America. The Republican endgame is to turn America into a country governed by Christian nationalists, which is disturbing. The problem with the Christian nationalists around Trump is not that they violate their supposed moral codes. The actual problem is that they're genuine. They genuinely believe their unhinged and wicked ideas.

Speaker 1: 12:46

Donald Trump is not a smart man. He is merely a puppet used by more intelligent people around him, people such as the Heritage Foundation, whose playbook of Project 2025 he has been following to a T. If Trump is not removed from the presidency soon, the damage he will have done to America will be irreparable. Last week, trump ordered all military aid to Ukraine to be stopped and continued with his pushes to break away from NATO, aligning with Putin's wishes. Our NATO allies, especially Canada, are frustrated with how our new government is acting. Canada's Prime Minister has expressed sadness for Americans forced to deal with the retaliation of Trump's tariffs. America's strengths come from our global alliances. Trump's efforts to ruin these relationships are troubling and only the result of him being compromised by Russian influence.

Speaker 1: 13:30

We need a government that is fully transparent and promotes unity instead of division. It's important to remember that it is we, the people, who truly hold the power. If we unify, we can create real change and stop our society from being selfish, greedy and hateful. We must stand up to those few who wish to control us. At Trump's recent address to Congress, half the room applauded, while the other half just sat silent. This system is built for failure, not progress. The elites do not care if America crumbles. They can move somewhere else after draining it of its resources. After the destruction of America, trump will be welcomed with open arms back in Moscow. Something needs to change. The current system is not sustainable. America is designed to only have two parties, making it practically impossible for an independent or third-party candidate to become president. The only option that remains to save this country is through revolution or radical change.

Speaker 1: 14:26

I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to listen to this episode. I am so sorry for the late upload. I promise to make it up to you later this week. Our next episode will focus more specifically on transgender issues. Republicans in Texas recently released a bill that would make it a felony to identify as transgender. I wish I was exaggerating, but that's what the bill states. Transgender people continue to be an easy target for Republicans, while Democrats don't defend us, allowing us to suffer. Things may look grim for America, but I would like all of you to have hope for a better future. There are many more of us than there are of them. The elites are terrified at the idea of the people waking up to see it's really them that's the biggest problem in our country. In future episodes, we will continue to discuss how the elites try to keep us divided and what we can do to stop it. I'm your host, athena Hope, and until next time. This has been Transgenders at War.