Fact check: USSR started grooming Trump in 1987.

1. Summary of the results

The claim that the USSR started grooming Trump in 1987 is largely unsubstantiated. The primary source of this allegation is a Facebook post by Alnur Mussayev, a claimed former KGB officer, but his credibility has been severely questioned due to biographical inconsistencies and his claimed role in the Sixth Directorate, which wasn't responsible for foreign intelligence recruitment ^[1]. The Daily Beast, which initially reported these allegations, later deleted their story, describing the claims as "unfounded" ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• While ex-KGB officer Yuri Shvets suggested Russian intelligence had interest in Trump as early as 1977, no concrete evidence of actual recruitment exists ^[2]
• The Mueller investigation found "links" between Trump campaign officials and Russian individuals but did not establish coordination or conspiracy ^[2]
• Former UK spy chief Sir David Omand explicitly dismisses these allegations, noting that if there were a "real smoking gun," it would likely have surfaced, especially given the number of pro-Ukrainian people in Russia who would be motivated to expose such information ^[3]
• FBI background checks in 2016 found nothing suspicious regarding these allegations ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several factors suggest potential misinformation:

• The claim relies heavily on a single, questionable source (Mussayev) whose biographical details contradict his own claims about KGB service ^[1]
• Russian-language websites show discrepancies in Mussayev's claimed KGB service timeline ^[1]
• No high-profile officer has corroborated Mussayev's claims ^[4]
• The lack of action by Democrats, who would have benefited politically from such information if it were true, suggests the claim's weakness ^[4]

Who benefits from this narrative:

• Political opponents of Trump could benefit from perpetuating these allegations
• Media organizations benefit from the controversy and engagement these stories generate
• Russian intelligence agencies might benefit from sowing discord and uncertainty in American politics

It's worth noting that while Russian interference in the 2016 election is established fact ^[2], this specific claim about 1987 recruitment remains unproven and appears to lack credible supporting evidence.