Top Trump Aide Coached the Russians On How to Butter Up Trump With Fake Flattery — Leaked Transcript Reveals

(Evan Vucci/AP photo)

A transcript of a leaked phone call revealed a top aide of President Donald Trump coaching the Russians on how to win him over.

The transcript was published Tuesday by Bloomberg. According to the report, the call — between special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russia foreign-policy adviser Yuri Ushakov — took place on Oct. 14. The two discussed ongoing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. During their conversation, it was proposed that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin should speak on the phone in the near future. Witkoff used that as an opportunity to coach the Russians on how best to speak to the President of the United States. The transcript reads:

SW: Yuri, Yuri, here’s what I would do. My recommendation.

YU: Yes, please.

SW: I would make the call and just reiterate that you congratulate the president on this achievement, that you supported it, you supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen. So I would say that. I think from that it’s going to be a really good call.

Because — let me tell you what I told the President. I told the president that you – that the Russian Federation has always wanted a peace deal. That’s my belief. I told the president I believe that. And I believe the question is — the issue is is that we have two nations that are having a hard time coming to a compromise and when we do, we’re going to have a peace deal. I’m even thinking that maybe we set out like a 20-point peace proposal, just like we did in Gaza. We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you. My point is this…

YU: Ok, ok my friend. I think that very point our leaders could discuss. Hey Steve, I agree with you that he will congratulate, he will say that Mr. Trump is a real peace man and so and so. That he will say.

Moments later, Witkoff even explicitly laid out what he believed would get the peace deal done.

“Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere,” Witkoff said, according to the transcript. “But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here. And I think Yuri, the president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal.”

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