Donald Trump's perceived alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin may stem from influence dating back to the 1980s, when the KGB allegedly persuaded him of Russia's worldview, according to Chief Foreign Correspondent Andrew Jehring.
Jehring outlined his theory on the latest Daily Mail Deep Dive podcast, discussing recent U.S. actions that could negatively impact Ukraine's war effort. These actions include a reported plan to ease sanctions on Russia to allow diesel sales, Elon Musk's SpaceX restricting Ukraine's military access to the Starlink satellite network, and threats to limit intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
Last Friday, Trump announced his intention to ease sanctions on Russia, enabling the sale of its diesel to the U.S. and global markets. While the feasibility of Putin supplying the claimed volume of diesel remains uncertain, the move signals a significant reduction in economic pressure on Russia amidst its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Ukraine reported that SpaceX had curtailed its military's access to Starlink, a satellite network crucial for Ukraine's drone operations. The Trump administration has denied any role in this disruption.
These developments follow reports that the U.S. has also threatened to cease intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a move that could jeopardize recent gains made by Ukrainian forces.
During the podcast, Jehring addressed the timing of these U.S. actions, which coincide with Ukraine reportedly inflicting significant damage on Russian forces. He posited that Trump's stance might not be that of a direct Russian asset, but rather someone whose perspective has been subtly shaped over decades.
"I don't think he's a Russian asset," Jehring stated. "In the sense that Putin tells him what to do. That he's been planted there by the KGB in a plot dating back decades. I don't buy any of that."
However, Jehring pointed to claims that the KGB maintained files on Trump in the 1980s and 1990s, citing his ex-wife's Soviet origin and his frequent visits to the Soviet Union during that period. "He would have been a person of significant interest," Jehring remarked. "He had an awful lot of assets. He was quite famous, a mover and shaker. So, it would be more surprising to me if the KGB or FSB did not stick someone on him."
Jehring theorized that an individual close to Trump, perhaps at dinner parties, could have been feeding him Russian talking points. "Brainwashed is probably too strong a word, but I think he was persuaded," he said. "He seems always armed with Russian talking points... His view of the world is shaped by Kremlin ideology to a degree, which then means he is maybe supple for when Putin picks up the phone and calls."
Jehring, who recently returned from Ukraine, shared insights from conversations with Ukrainian military officials. "I was talking to some Ukrainian friends today about this… they had some fairly strong and short words to describe Mr Musk and Mr Trump," he noted.
He added that Ukrainian military figures expressed grave concerns about the Starlink restrictions. "For a piece on Starlink, I have spoken to a couple of colonels in Ukraine's armed forces and one of them told me: 'Without any exaggeration, this means ten times more innocent people will be killed while sleeping in their homes.'"
