The ax has finally fallen and it's perilously close to the presidency. Donald trump would not be happy that two of his aides who had worked for him earlier have been indicted by the Grand Jury. Newsweek has reported that these arrests pose the biggest challenge to him during his first 10 months in office.
The Special Counsel Robert Mueller framed almost a dozen charges against Paul Manafort and a business associate, Rick Gates. Manafort joined the Trump team in March 2016. The charges he faces are serious and include the allegation that he worked as a foreign agent.
The Russian connection has gripped the intelligence agencies and many are worked up about it being a threat to the United States, as brought out by CNN
Charges
The charges are ominous and the Special Counsel may be working on the assumption that the duo will crack under pressure. According to Fox News commentator Andrew Napolitano, the arrests of Manafort and Gates are part of the plan to target The President. Trump is aware of the game plan and he is fighting with his back to the wall.
Trump is angry and is watching the proceedings on Television screens as they unfold at his residence in the White House. This is the biggest challenge he has faced so far and he should be a worried man. The confession of George Papadopoulos to the FBI may have rattled him.
The New York Times in a report said that the former campaign advisor of Trump admitted his guilt about his meetings with the Russian professor.
Confession of an aide
Just a few months back Papadopoulos had asserted that his meeting with the Russian professor was of no consequence. Now he is stating the opposite and has also admitted that he had the knowledge that the professor had connections to the Russian government.
Papadopoulos’s guilty plea is clear evidence that some collusion with Russia, may have taken place. Many are convinced that Russia interfered with the election with a view to supporting a Trump victory.
Trump is fighting back and he has continued to stand by his claim that the Mueller’s investigation was a “witch hunt."
The target is Trump
Trump has repeatedly said that there was no Russian connection.
He has also asserted that Manafort worked for him only lately, but it is revealed that Manafort worked for him in the 1980s. when Trump first hired him.
James Hadley Chase wrote a novel "The way the cookie crumbles." One has a lurking feeling that it applies to the presidency of Trump.