'I'm Lovin' It'
The BBC reports on the latest revelations in the 'Russia scandal' to engulf Donald Trump.
Only this time Donald Trump Junior is the cause of Big Daddy's woes over a meeting he held in Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, who wrote the following email to the American President's son:
"This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump"
And far from responding cautiously Trump Junior, clearly excited, replied in the following terms:
"If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer"
Not only was the President's son present at the subsequent meeting, but so too were his campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and the President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is now a senior adviser inn the White House.
Team Trump now says that Daddy Trump had no idea what his son, campaign manager and son-in-law were up to which all sounds terribly unlikely if you ask me.
Four explosive lines in Trump Jr emails
By Anthony Zurcher - BBC North America
Image copyright - GETTY IMAGES Image caption - Donald Trump Jr and Jared Kushner at an inauguration ball
The word "explosive" doesn't do justice to the details of the emails Donald Trump Jr tweeted out on Tuesday morning.
Calamitous, perhaps? Seismic? Twitterdammerung?
The president's eldest son probably revealed this correspondence because the New York Times was about to publish it, a fourth devastating journalistic wave that was poised to crash on the White House at any moment.
If that's the case Trump Jr's act, while committed in the name of being "totally transparent", was akin to shooting oneself in the head to avoid getting shot. He certainly didn't do it to save his own skin.
Here are four of the most remarkable passages of the email chain that will live in infamy - and what it all means.
"This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump"
Trump Jr originally tweeted out the first three pages, leaving out page four, which has all the juiciest bits. It was like Beethoven's Ninth Symphony without Ode to Joy or the 1812 Overture without the cannons.
The above line is clearly the highlight of the page. Rob Goldstone, the music publicist turned international man of mystery, is straight-up telling the presidential son that Russia wants to help his dad.
In the prior paragraph, he details exactly what he says is being offered - "official documents and information" about Democrat Hillary Clinton. Several lines later he floats the possibility of sending the incriminating material to Donald Trump the Elder, via his personal assistant, Rhona. (Rhona should probably get her own lawyer, by the way.)
"If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer"
Setting aside the glaring lack of punctuation, this line in Trump Jr's response to Goldstone's email shows he knows exactly what he's getting himself into.
He's practically drooling at the possibility of being handed documents from the Russian government that incriminate the one person standing between his father and the White House.
What's more, those last few words seem to indicate that Trump Jr also is thinking about when such information could be revealed.
The meeting took place in early June. "Later in the summer", the general election campaign was in full swing.
It's when both parties held their national conventions. It is also, incidentally, when the most damaging emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee server - at the behest of the Russian government, according to the US intelligence community - went public via Wikileaks.
Setting aside the glaring lack of punctuation, this line in Trump Jr's response to Goldstone's email shows he knows exactly what he's getting himself into.
He's practically drooling at the possibility of being handed documents from the Russian government that incriminate the one person standing between his father and the White House.
What's more, those last few words seem to indicate that Trump Jr also is thinking about when such information could be revealed.
The meeting took place in early June. "Later in the summer", the general election campaign was in full swing.
It's when both parties held their national conventions. It is also, incidentally, when the most damaging emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee server - at the behest of the Russian government, according to the US intelligence community - went public via Wikileaks.
"Emin asked that I schedule a meeting with you and The Russian government attorney who is flying over from Moscow for this Thursday."
The lawyer in question - Natalia Veselnitskaya - has asserted that she is not connected to the Russian government, but Goldstone is presenting her to Trump Jr here as a "government attorney".
There's always the possibility that Goldstone is blowing smoke Trump Jr's way, trying to make it seem like he's setting up a super-secret meeting that will upend the presidential campaign when actually he's just saying whatever he thinks is necessary to get a meeting that his client, Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, has requested.
In the music business, I suppose, anything goes.
That may not exonerate Trump Jr, but it would relieve the Russian government of culpability, at least in this regard.
The lawyer in question - Natalia Veselnitskaya - has asserted that she is not connected to the Russian government, but Goldstone is presenting her to Trump Jr here as a "government attorney".
There's always the possibility that Goldstone is blowing smoke Trump Jr's way, trying to make it seem like he's setting up a super-secret meeting that will upend the presidential campaign when actually he's just saying whatever he thinks is necessary to get a meeting that his client, Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, has requested.
In the music business, I suppose, anything goes.
That may not exonerate Trump Jr, but it would relieve the Russian government of culpability, at least in this regard.
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"To: Jared Kushner; Paul Manafort"
At the very top of the email chain are two names that should be of particular concern to the White House - Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Trump Jr had told the New York Times that he had asked the two men to attend the Trump Tower meeting but had not told them what was to be discussed.
This seems to undercut that, because both men probably had the full email chain, including the earlier correspondence discussing the promise of incriminating "documents and information" sitting in their in-boxes the day before they attended the meeting.
At the very top of the email chain are two names that should be of particular concern to the White House - Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Trump Jr had told the New York Times that he had asked the two men to attend the Trump Tower meeting but had not told them what was to be discussed.
This seems to undercut that, because both men probably had the full email chain, including the earlier correspondence discussing the promise of incriminating "documents and information" sitting in their in-boxes the day before they attended the meeting.
Trump's Russia Connections (11/07/17)
The BBC reports on Donald Trump's ever deepening 'Russia problem' which has now engulfed his son, Donald Junior and son--in-law Jared Kushner.
For months Team Trump has been vehemently denying any Russian connections, but now that story has changed to no 'meaningful' connection.
Email 'linked Kremlin to Trump son meeting' - New York Times
BBC US & Canada
Image copyright - GETTY IMAGES Image caption - Donald Trump Jr said "no meaningful information" on Mrs Clinton was provided
Donald Trump Junior was told that information offered by a Russian lawyer was part of a Russian government effort to help his father's election campaign, the New York Times reports.
Publicist Rob Goldstone, who arranged the 2016 meeting, reportedly stated this in an email.
Mr Trump Jr has defended the meeting, at which the lawyer offered to reveal damaging material on Hillary Clinton.
Moscow and the White House both deny there was any political interference.
The FBI and Congress are currently investigating alleged Russian meddling in last year's US election, including whether any of President Trump's associates colluded with the Russian government to sway the result.
Donald Trump Jr has insisted that the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, provided "no meaningful information" on his father's rival for the presidency.
The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign head, Paul J Manafort, were also at the meeting.
Mr Goldstone has previously denied any knowledge of involvement by the Russian government.
Donald Trump Junior was told that information offered by a Russian lawyer was part of a Russian government effort to help his father's election campaign, the New York Times reports.
Publicist Rob Goldstone, who arranged the 2016 meeting, reportedly stated this in an email.
Mr Trump Jr has defended the meeting, at which the lawyer offered to reveal damaging material on Hillary Clinton.
Moscow and the White House both deny there was any political interference.
The FBI and Congress are currently investigating alleged Russian meddling in last year's US election, including whether any of President Trump's associates colluded with the Russian government to sway the result.
Donald Trump Jr has insisted that the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, provided "no meaningful information" on his father's rival for the presidency.
The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign head, Paul J Manafort, were also at the meeting.
Mr Goldstone has previously denied any knowledge of involvement by the Russian government.
Image copyright - REUTERS Image caption - Jared Kushner has not commented on the latest developments
Ms Veselnitskaya, who is married to a Moscow government official, has denied that she works for the Kremlin.
Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC that the New York Times report was "a very serious development".
"It all warrants thorough investigation. Everyone who was in that meeting ought to come before our committee."
Ms Veselnitskaya, who is married to a Moscow government official, has denied that she works for the Kremlin.
Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC that the New York Times report was "a very serious development".
"It all warrants thorough investigation. Everyone who was in that meeting ought to come before our committee."
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Russia: The cloud over the White House
Mr Trump Jr has hired a New York defence lawyer to represent him in the Russia-related investigations.
Alan Futerfas described reports of the meeting as "much ado about nothing" and said his client had done nothing wrong.
The president's son said he was "Happy to work with the committee to pass on what I know."
When was the meeting and how did it come to light?
It took place on 9 June 2016 at New York's Trump Tower, just two weeks after Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination.
It is thought to be the first confirmed private meeting between a Russian national and members of President Trump's inner circle.
After the New York Times first reported the meeting on Saturday, Mr Trump Jr released a statement which confirmed that it had taken place but did not mention whether it was related to the presidential campaign.
However, another Times report, on Sunday, said Mr Trump Jr had agreed to the meeting after being offered information that would potentially prove detrimental to Mrs Clinton.
The paper cited three White House advisers briefed on the meeting, and two others with knowledge of it, as its sources.
Image copyright - AFP/GETTY IMAGES Image caption - Mr Trump Jr has hired a lawyer to represent him in the Russia investigations
Mr Trump Jr said that an acquaintance he had known from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant had set up the meeting. The Washington Postconfirmed that figure to be music publicist Mr Goldstone, who has links to the Russian music industry.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Trump Jr said he had been asked to meet "an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign".
"I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared [Kushner] and Paul [Manafort] to attend, but told them nothing of the substance."
Mr Trump Jr said that an acquaintance he had known from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant had set up the meeting. The Washington Postconfirmed that figure to be music publicist Mr Goldstone, who has links to the Russian music industry.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Trump Jr said he had been asked to meet "an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign".
"I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared [Kushner] and Paul [Manafort] to attend, but told them nothing of the substance."
What was discussed at the meeting?
Mr Trump Jr's statement continues: "After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs Clinton.
"Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.
"She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act.
"It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting."
Mr Trump Jr's statement continues: "After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Mrs Clinton.
"Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information.
"She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act.
"It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting."
Is this a smoking gun, and other Trump Jr questions
WATCH: Did Russian meddle? No-one knows, says Trump
Ms Veselnitskaya said on Saturday that "nothing at all was discussed about the presidential campaign" and insisted she had "never acted on behalf of the Russian government and [had] never discussed any of these matters with any representative of the Russian government".
On Monday, Mr Trump Jr tweeted sarcastically: "Obviously I'm the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent..." He also denied issuing conflicting statements.
And he linked to a piece in the New York Post headlined "The Times 'exposé' on Donald Trump Jr is a big yawn".
What is the Magnitsky Act and who is Natalia Veselnitskaya?
Adopted by Congress in 2012, the act allows the US to withhold visas and freeze financial assets of Russian officials thought to have been involved in human rights violations.
It is named after a Moscow lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, who had accused Russian officials of tax fraud but was himself arrested and died in police custody.
The US law so incensed President Vladimir Putin that he suspended a programme allowing Americans to adopt Russian children.
Adopted by Congress in 2012, the act allows the US to withhold visas and freeze financial assets of Russian officials thought to have been involved in human rights violations.
It is named after a Moscow lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, who had accused Russian officials of tax fraud but was himself arrested and died in police custody.
The US law so incensed President Vladimir Putin that he suspended a programme allowing Americans to adopt Russian children.
Image copyright - ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES - Image caption: The grave of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, in Moscow
Ms Veselnitskaya is a lawyer whose clients include companies and individuals said to be close to the Kremlin, and she has been at the forefront of a campaign - backed by the Russian state - to overturn the Magnitsky Act.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the Kremlin had no idea who she was, saying: "We cannot keep a close watch on the meetings of all Russian lawyers inside the country and abroad."
Ms Veselnitskaya is a lawyer whose clients include companies and individuals said to be close to the Kremlin, and she has been at the forefront of a campaign - backed by the Russian state - to overturn the Magnitsky Act.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the Kremlin had no idea who she was, saying: "We cannot keep a close watch on the meetings of all Russian lawyers inside the country and abroad."
Analysis: A grim situation for Trump Jr - Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter
Whether by plan or happenstance, Donald Trump Jr is stumbling into an increasingly dire situation.
The pattern has been set. The New York Times runs a story, Trump Jr issues his response, then the noose tightens.
First he said the meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya was about adoption issues. Then the Times reports that Trump Jr thought he would learn damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
The presidential son says he was conducting routine opposition research. Then the Times reports that he was told it was the Russian government itself that was coming to his father's aid.
In a traditional campaign, a foreign government's attempt to offer incriminating information about an opponent - or even the hint of such an overture - would set off all kinds of alarms. The FBI would have been notified. Senior staff would have insulated themselves from incrimination.
The Trump team was not a conventional campaign. And time and time again, they have made novice mistakes - or, more ominously, taken unprecedented risks.
Their candidate prevailed, but it has led to countless political headaches. Now it appears the president's own family, and his presidency itself, could be in peril. They have only themselves to blame.
Read more from Anthony
Whether by plan or happenstance, Donald Trump Jr is stumbling into an increasingly dire situation.
The pattern has been set. The New York Times runs a story, Trump Jr issues his response, then the noose tightens.
First he said the meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya was about adoption issues. Then the Times reports that Trump Jr thought he would learn damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
The presidential son says he was conducting routine opposition research. Then the Times reports that he was told it was the Russian government itself that was coming to his father's aid.
In a traditional campaign, a foreign government's attempt to offer incriminating information about an opponent - or even the hint of such an overture - would set off all kinds of alarms. The FBI would have been notified. Senior staff would have insulated themselves from incrimination.
The Trump team was not a conventional campaign. And time and time again, they have made novice mistakes - or, more ominously, taken unprecedented risks.
Their candidate prevailed, but it has led to countless political headaches. Now it appears the president's own family, and his presidency itself, could be in peril. They have only themselves to blame.
Read more from Anthony
How has the rest of the Trump team responded?
Mr Kushner and Mr Manafort have not commented, although Mr Kushner's lawyer said her client had previously disclosed the meeting on security clearance forms. Mr Manafort has disclosed the meeting to congressional investigators.
A spokesman for President Trump's legal team said on Sunday that the president was "not aware of and did not attend" the meeting.
White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said the meeting was a "big nothing burger".
Image copyright - REUTERS Image caption - White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus has dismissed the meeting as trivial
The Times said Mr Trump Jr had told the paper in March that he had not met any Russian nationals to discuss campaign-related matters.
Why is Russia being investigated?
It is alleged that Russian hackers stole information linked to the Clinton campaign and passed it to Wikileaks so it could be released and help tip the election towards Mr Trump.
Congressional committees and a special prosecutor are investigating whether there was any collusion between the Trump team and the Russians.
The investigations have yet to reveal any evidence of collusion, something the president has always denied.
Last week Mr Trump said interference in the election "could well have been" carried out by countries other than Russia and interference "has been happening for a long time".
The Times said Mr Trump Jr had told the paper in March that he had not met any Russian nationals to discuss campaign-related matters.
Why is Russia being investigated?
It is alleged that Russian hackers stole information linked to the Clinton campaign and passed it to Wikileaks so it could be released and help tip the election towards Mr Trump.
Congressional committees and a special prosecutor are investigating whether there was any collusion between the Trump team and the Russians.
The investigations have yet to reveal any evidence of collusion, something the president has always denied.
Last week Mr Trump said interference in the election "could well have been" carried out by countries other than Russia and interference "has been happening for a long time".
