On Friday, the New York Times published a startling story: In 2017, days after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, the bureau opened an inquiry into whether the president was secretly working on behalf of Russia. It was an explosive development in an already major story.

Since this news came out, it’s informed how we see two other very big new stories: On Sunday, the Washington Post reported that Trump has gone to “extraordinary lengths” to conceal details of his conversations with Vladimir Putin. And on Monday, the Times reported that Trump had discussed withdrawing the United States from NATO.

Trump claims he has been tougher on Russia “than any other President,” while also proposing that “getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing.” Over the years, people have speculated about Trump’s ties to Russia. But this week’s news raises the question very clearly: Is the President of the United States a Russian asset?

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