The Roger Stone indictment makes Trump's public request of Russian hackers sound pretty suspicious
Around the time then-candidate Donald Trump was publicly encouraging Russians to hack Hillary Clinton's emails, his campaign was reaching out to Roger Stone to find out what WikiLeaks had on his Democratic opponent.
This is according to the indictment of Stone, Trump's longtime adviser who has acknowledged having contact with an intermediary to WikiLeaks. "After the July 22, 2016 release of stolen DNC emails by [WikiLeaks], a senior Trump Campaign official was directed to contact Stone about any additional releases and what other damaging information [WikiLeaks] had regarding the Clinton Campaign," the indictment reads.
"Thereafter," the indictment goes on to say, "Stone told the Trump Campaign about potential future releases of damaging material by [WikiLeaks]."
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.
It was on July 27, 2016 that Trump said in a press conference, "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," encouraging Russians to hack Clinton's emails, per The New York Times. Although the indictment isn't completely clear on the exact date Stone delivered his information, it would seem to suggest that at the time Trump made these statements, he — or at least members of his campaign — had been informed by Stone that WikiLeaks planned to continue releasing hacked emails damaging to Clinton.
The indictment also mentions, "By in or around June and July 2016, Stone informed senior Trump Campaign officials that he had information indicating [WikiLeaks] had documents whose release would be damaging to the Clinton Campaign."
That October, WikiLeaks began to release hacked emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta. Stone received a text shortly after by a Trump campaign aide telling him, "Well done," the indictment says.
The key question left open in this indictment is who, exactly, encouraged the high-ranking Trump official to contact Stone, but in an interview with CNN Friday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not deny that it was Trump himself.
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
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The best homes of the year
Feature Featuring a grand turret entrance in New York and built-in glass elevator in Arizona
By The Week Staff Published
-
Nordstrom family, investor to take retail chain private
Speed Read The business will be acquired by members of the family and El Puerto de Liverpool, a Mexican real estate company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden commutes most federal death sentences
Speed Read The president downgraded the punishment of 37 of 40 prisoners on death row to life in prison without parole
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published