"How DARE you call us deplorable!"

[Ford_Prefect]

45. In light of revelations about Putin's influence one must ask how much part Russian actors played?

In Ukraine and elsewhere similar patterns of using racial hate and right wing extremist surrogates against the established government and establishment politicians have been successfully used by Russian agents to amplify opposition and destabilize government.

I'm saying that Putin helped stir up the American extreme Right Wing racists to support Trump. He or his agents may also have fed Trump's campaign talking points and strategy, or assisted in other ways including Dark Money. I'm saying at the very least he tagged onto Trump's campaign to assist it, if he was not involved prior to the campaign as some have asserted.

There have been allegations made that Putin has been grooming Trump for the political stage for some time. The contention is based on among other things the degree that Trump is dependent on Russian investment and loans engineered by Putin's pals to keep Trump's empire of debt afloat. That debt to Russian sources is said to be the reason Trump has vigorously avoided financial disclosure and obfuscated over whether and when he will divest, or that he needs to do so.