Donald Trump Jr.'s attempt to be "totally transparent" may have just confirmed the existence of "a back-channel" between President Trump and the Russian government, the New Republic's Brian Beutler noted in a tweet shortly after Trump Jr. on Tuesday released his email chain setting up his meeting in June 2016 with a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer. In the emails, publicist Rob Goldstone says he has incriminating information about Hillary Clinton that's "part of Russia and its government's support for [President] Trump" and offers to send it to President Trump "via Rhona."
Rhona Graff, per Politico's report in March, has been "the gatekeeper at Trump Tower for a quarter century." The president has reportedly kept her around now that he's at the White House "for those who want to quietly offer advice, make personnel suggestions, or get on the president's calendar when he's at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida." Politico reported that Trump associate Roger Stone described Graff as the "favored point of contact for 'anyone who thinks the system in Washington will block their access.'"
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.
-
An ancient Israeli cave teaches new archaeological lessonsThe Explainer The cave is believed to be one of the world's oldest burial sites
-
Music reviews: Tyler Childers and MadonnaFeature "Snipe Hunter" and "Veronica Electronica"
-
Art review: Noah DavisFeature Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, through Aug. 31
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein filesSpeed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oilSpeed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymanderSpeed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting voteSpeed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs reportSpeed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness TestSpeed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib BukeleSpeed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on CanadaSpeed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
