Mr Trump was an object of interest for the KGB and was cultivated as an asset by the Soviet spy agency more than 40 years ago, according to an explosive new book. The astonishing claims are made by Craig Unger in his new book “American Kompromat, How the KGB Cultivated Donald Trump, and Related Tales of Sex, Greed, Power and Treachery”. Mr Trump’s presidency was bedevilled by allegations that the Trump campaign had colluded with Moscow during the 2016 presidential elections.
An exhaustive investigation by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller cleared Mr Trump of any conspiracy with Russia.
Despite this, rumours persisted that the 45th President was a Russian asset and in Mr Putin’s pocket.
Mr Unger believes that there is substance to theses rumours, claiming that Mr Trump came to the attention of the KGB back in the 1970s.
He claims that the ruthless Soviet spy agency sought to exploit the ex-US President’s narcissism and vanity, as well as his greed.
The author writes: “With Trump it wasn’t just weakness. Everything was excessive.
“His vanity, excessive. Narcissism, excessive. Greed, excessive. Ignorance, excessive.
“Deeply insecure intellectually, highly suggestible, exceedingly susceptible to flattery, Trump was anxious to acquire some real intellectual validation – and the KGB would be more than happy to humor him.”
The story of Mr Trump’s association with Russia began in 1976 when he purchased the old decrepit Commodore Hotel on Park Avenue for just one dollar.
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Mr Trump purchased hundreds of television sets for his new hotel from the store.
The TV sets had dual systems enabling them to receive broadcasts from the Soviet Union, a highly unusual feature, according to the author.
The KGB continued to monitor Mr Trump, who was invited to Moscow in 1987 to explore the possibility of building a Trump hotel in the capital city.
Mr Unger claims that the trip was a “deep development” by KGB handlers, the purpose of which was to create secret back channels that would allow the Kremlin to influence and damage American democracy.