Interview · moment 16 of 23
Is Trump Blackmail-Proof?
from Russia's Super Mafia · #98
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
3 minGuest
Tim and Galeotti joke about whether Russia has kompromat on Trump, with Galeotti arguing Trump is so shameless he's nearly immune to blackmail, and that a real Kremlin handler would tell him to stop praising Putin publicly.
- 40:52Tim acknowledges there's an element of wishful thinking in American media's desire to find Russian blackmail over Trump.
- 41:49Tim argues Trump is so grotesque he's almost blackmail-proof—there's no way to embarrass him further.
- 42:16If Tim were a Russian intelligence officer handling Trump, he'd tell him to stop praising Putin, since it makes everyone suspicious.
- 43:22Tim hasn't seen a smoking gun of Kremlin control; instead he describes Trump as driven by greed, corruption, and indifference to dirty money sources.
Donald TrumpVladimir PutinRussian MafiaMueller inquiry