The Papadopoulos indictment appears to prove that Trump campaign officials were in continual contact with Russian agents
![Donald Trump.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ffT3hXbAawPHZ4SkxXL8YR-415-80.jpg)
On Monday, an unsealed indictment revealed President Trump's former foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos, was charged with making false statements to federal agents and impeding the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Because federal investigations like Special Counsel Robert Mueller's tend to work inwards towards central figures, Papadopoulos' indictment is particularly of note because it includes references to other yet-unnamed campaign aides who were involved in conversations with Kremlin agents.
The timeline begins in early March 2016, when Papadopoulos signed on as a Trump campaign adviser. "Based on a conversation that took place on or about March 6, 2016, with a supervisory campaign official (the 'campaign supervisor'), defendant Papadopoulos understood that a principal foreign policy focus of the campaign was an improved U.S. relationship with Russia," the charges claim.
Later, after being offered "dirt" on Hillary Clinton by a character referred to as "the Professor," Papadopoulos emailed a "senior policy adviser" to say that there were "some interesting messages coming in from Moscow about a trip when the time is right." Then, in conversation between Papadopoulos and another "high-ranking campaign official," Papadopoulos wrote: "Russia has been eager to meet Mr. Trump for quite sometime and have been reaching out to me to discuss."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
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.
The official forwarded Papadopoulos' email to another unnamed campaign official and wrote: "Let's discuss. We need someone to communicate that DT is not doing these trips. It should be someone low level in the campaign as not to send any signal."
Another passage claims Papadopoulos attempted to arrange an "off the record" meeting between at least one campaign representative and "members of President Putin's office and the [Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]." Papadopoulos also sent an email with the subject line "New message from Russia" to a high-ranking official.
Papadopoulos was arrested in July 2017 and has reportedly been cooperating with the FBI.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Quiz of The Week: 20 - 26 July
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: The dark world of illicit gambling
Podcast Plus, the pension pot shortfall and Obama's silence on Harris
By The Week Staff Published
-
Leonora Carrington: Rebel Visionary – an exhibition of 'unearthly delights'
The 'captivating' show features over 70 pieces spanning everything from paintings to tapestries
By The Week UK Published
-
Netanyahu makes controversial address
Speed Reads Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress denounced Gaza war protestors
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published