FBI reportedly making inquiry into former Trump campaign manager's foreign ties


The FBI is taking a preliminary look into the foreign business connections of Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
A preliminary inquiry is conducted by the FBI when something warrants scrutiny but not yet a full investigation. Late last week, FBI Director James Comey announced new emails were discovered in connection to the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. In a letter to Comey, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid questioned why Comey felt the need to announce the Clinton inquiry, considering he admittedly didn't know if the emails were significant to the case, while sitting on "explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government." The FBI has not commented.
In August, it was reported that Manafort was a major player in business dealings with Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs, including one who had close ties to Putin and was allegedly linked to organized crime. The New York Times also reported that ledgers showed that a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine paid Manafort $12.7 million in cash. Manafort told NBC News "none of it is true," and he has never had any ties to Putin or dealt with his government. Trump has made many comments in favor of Russia, and has disagreed with the intelligence community, which says Russia is involved with election hacking. "The relationship that Trump's advisors have had with pro-Russian forces are deeply disturbing," David Kramer, a former senior State Department official in the George W. Bush administration, told NBC News in August. "Trump's attitude on Russia is not in line with most Republican foreign-policy thinking. Trump has staked out views that are really on the fringe."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 bunker-busting cartoons about the Israel-Iran war
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on Iran waiting for Pete Hegseth to leak war plans and Donald Trump's wish for a Nobel prize
-
Malaysia's delicious food and glorious beaches
The Week Recommends From 'colourful' George Town to the 'jungled interior' of Langkawi, Malaysia is incredibly diverse
-
Is the US sliding into autocracy?
Talking Point Donald Trump's use of federal troops on home ground, dismissal of dissent and 'braggadocious' military posturing are all symptoms of a shifting political culture
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein