The FBI gathered intelligence last summer that suggests Russian operatives tried to use Trump advisers, including Carter Page, to infiltrate the Trump campaign, according to US officials.
The new information adds to the emerging picture of how the Russians tried to influence the 2016 election, not only through email hacks and propaganda but also by trying to infiltrate the Trump orbit. The intelligence led to an investigation into the coordination of Trump's campaign associates and the Russians.
These officials made clear they don't know whether Page was aware the Russians may have been using him. Because of the way Russian spy services operate, Page could have unknowingly talked with Russian agents.
Page disputes the idea he has ever collected intelligence for the Russians, saying he helped the US intelligence community. "My assumption throughout the last 26 years I've been going there has always been that any Russian person might share information with the Russian government ... As I have similarly done with the CIA, the FBI and other government agencies in the past." Ref. CNN.
US Commander in Europe Signals Need for More Troops to Counter Russia:
Two combat brigades are permanently positioned in Europe: the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Germany and the 173rd Airborne in Italy, roughly one-sixth of 60,000 U.S. Troops stationed on the continent. Ref. Source 4a.
How times have changed. During the height of the Cold War during the Reagan buildup that spelled the doom of the USSR, we have two full corps of troops in Europe… that amounts to well over 120,000 ground troops when you factor in support elements. Then we reaped the 'peace dividend' when the Cold War ended, and reduced to one brigade. Then we found out Russia was as aggressive as the USSR and we added another brigade. Now it looks like we're going to have to inch our way towards where we once were in Europe. And it appears our allies are going to have to follow suit and rebuild their depleted armies.
Cohn: White House won't roll back Russia sanctions. "We're not lowering our sanctions on Russia," said Cohn, President Donald Trump's chief economic adviser and one of the most powerful voices in the White House. "If anything, we would probably look to get tougher on Russia." Ref. Source 9z.