President Trump’s latest explanation for the June 2016 campaign meeting with Russians at Trump Tower: It was to obtain dirt on his opponent, Hillary Clinton, and that’s “totally legal and done all the time in politics.”
The Russia Meeting at Trump Tower
Was to Discuss Adoption.
Then It Wasn’t. How Accounts Have Shifted.
The meeting and the administration’s response are a focus of the inquiry by the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. That inquiry is no doubt complicated by the constantly shifting explanations from nearly everyone involved. Here’s a breakdown.
President Trump’s latest explanation for the June 2016 campaign meeting with Russians at Trump Tower: It was to obtain dirt on his opponent, Hillary Clinton, and that’s “totally legal and done all the time in politics.”
How the Trump team’s story of
the meeting changed over time:
First, it was to discuss adoption.July 8, 2017
When first asked about the meeting, Donald Trump Jr. issued a statement saying the meeting was primarily about the adoption of Russian children.
Then, to see someone who ‘might have information helpful to the campaign.’July 9, 2017
After The Times informed Donald Trump Jr. that it was preparing an article that would say the meeting also involved a discussion of potentially compromising material on Mrs. Clinton, he issued another statement flicking at that possibility.
Later, to obtain information about an opponent.July 17, 2017
Mr. Trump defended the meeting in a tweet, saying “Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!”
Now, explicitly to ‘get information on an opponent which is totally legal and done all the time in politics.’ August 5, 2018
In a tweet, Mr. Trump solidified that the primary purpose of the meeting was to obtain political dirt on Mrs. Clinton.
How the story of Mr. Trump’s involvement
in the response changed over time:
First, the team said Mr. Trump was not involved.July 12, 2017
Then, it said he weighed in but did not dictate the statement.Aug. 1, 2017
Then, he dictated it.Jan. 29, 2018
Still, the president maintains he did not know about the meeting.Aug. 5, 2018
Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer at the center of the meeting, initially said she attended in a private capacity. Later, she acknowledged she was an informant for a top Kremlin official.
The Russia Meeting at Trump Tower
Was to Discuss Adoption.
Then It Wasn’t. How Accounts Have Shifted.
The meeting and the administration’s response are a focus of the inquiry by the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. That inquiry is no doubt complicated by the constantly shifting explanations from nearly everyone involved. Here’s a breakdown.
President Trump’s latest explanation for the June 2016 campaign meeting with Russians at Trump Tower: It was to obtain dirt on his opponent, Hillary Clinton, and that’s “totally legal and done all the time in politics.”
How the Trump team’s story of
the meeting changed over time:
First, it was to discuss adoption.July 8, 2017
When first asked about the meeting, Donald Trump Jr. issued a statement saying the meeting was primarily about the adoption of Russian children.
Then, to see someone who ‘might have information helpful to the campaign.’July 9, 2017
After The Times informed Donald Trump Jr. that it was preparing an article that would say the meeting also involved a discussion of potentially compromising material on Mrs. Clinton, he issued another statement flicking at that possibility.
Later, to obtain information about an opponent.July 17, 2017
Mr. Trump defended the meeting in a tweet, saying “Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!”
Now, explicitly to ‘get information on an opponent which is totally legal and done all the time in politics.’ August 5, 2018
In a tweet, Mr. Trump solidified that the primary purpose of the meeting was to obtain political dirt on Mrs. Clinton.
How the story of Mr. Trump’s involvement
in the response changed over time:
First, the team said Mr. Trump was not involved.July 12, 2017
Then, it said he weighed in but did not dictate the statement.Aug. 1, 2017
Then, he dictated it.Jan. 29, 2018
Still, the president maintains he did not know about the meeting.Aug. 5, 2018
Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer at the center of the meeting, initially said she attended in a private capacity. Later, she acknowledged she was an informant for a top Kremlin official.
