November 5th 2024.
Igor Danchenko has found himself at the center of a heated controversy involving Donald Trump and his supporters. His contribution to the infamous Steele dossier has put him in the crosshairs of the current President and caused speculation about his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Danchenko, who previously stated that Putin is uniquely positioned to take advantage of a Trump victory, maintains that the dossier and other investigations concerning Trump's relationship with the Kremlin are still relevant as Americans head to the polls.
In an exclusive interview with Metro, Danchenko opens up about the challenges he has faced since being acquitted of all charges for lying to the FBI two years ago. He reveals that he struggled with depression and disillusionment, but has since overcome those feelings. Currently residing in Arlington, Virginia, Danchenko shares his perspective on the ongoing presidential race between Trump and Kamala Harris.
When asked to assess the nominees, Danchenko expresses concern over Trump's potential actions towards Ukraine, a country heavily reliant on US arms. He believes that Trump's lack of principles and unpredictability may lead him to use Ukraine as a bargaining chip in relations with Russia, or even give up on the country altogether. On the other hand, Danchenko sees Harris as more cautious and focused on the bigger picture, with the best interests of the country and its citizens at heart.
Danchenko's involvement in the Steele dossier thrust him into the spotlight, as it was revealed that he was the primary subsource for the controversial document. The dossier, compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, contained unverified claims, including allegations of Russian "kompromat" on Trump. Danchenko then became a confidential FBI informant, but his identity was eventually made public without his consent, leading to his trial for making false statements to the agency.
It was later revealed that the Steele dossier was funded by the Washington DC-based research company Fusion GPS, which in turn received payment from Hilary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Danchenko stands by the majority of the information in the dossier, but clarifies that he had no idea his gathered information would be compiled into one document and released to the public without context.
The question arises, who does Putin want to win the US presidential race? Danchenko believes that Putin would find Trump's reluctance to commit to continued military support for Ukraine appealing. Trump has been critical of the level of support provided to Ukraine under President Joe Biden's administration. In contrast, Harris has promised to work towards ensuring that Ukraine prevails in their war. However, BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg has also identified another potentially favorable outcome for Putin - a close race followed by a contested result.
In 2019, Trump's attorney general appointed special counsel John Durham to investigate the FBI's handling of the alleged links between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Trump and his supporters believed that this investigation would expose a "witch hunt" against the business tycoon. Danchenko, who had to face trial and accusations of being a traitor in Russia after being revealed as Steele's main source, shares that his acquittal was not the victory he had hoped for. He explains that he faced abandonment and had to overcome depression and disillusionment in the system. Danchenko emphasizes that his work is not political at the intelligence level.
Now working as a freelance consultant specializing in Russia and Eurasia, Danchenko warns that Moscow is taking advantage of the politicized divide surrounding Trump's relationship with Russia. He believes that Russia still holds a unique position to influence Trump, but acknowledges that public perception of such intelligence is divided along party lines in America today.
Igor Danchenko, a Russian emigre living in Arlington, Virginia, has recently found himself caught in the middle of a heated political battle between Donald Trump and his supporters. His involvement in providing content for the infamous Steele dossier, which claimed that Vladimir Putin would use a Trump victory to his advantage, has made him a central figure in the ongoing US presidential race.
In a recent interview with Metro, Danchenko shared his thoughts on the relevance of the dossier and other investigations about Trump's relationship with Russia as Americans head to the polls. He also opened up about his personal struggles, including battling depression and disillusionment after being acquitted of charges of lying to the FBI two years ago.
As the race for the White House comes down to the wire between Trump and Kamala Harris, Danchenko, a Russia-Eurasia analyst, believes that Trump's lack of principles and unpredictability could lead to him using Ukraine as a bargaining chip in relations with Russia. On the other hand, Harris is seen as more level-headed and focused on the interests of the country and its citizens.
Danchenko's involvement in the Steele dossier, which made unverified claims about Trump's ties to Russia, thrust him into the spotlight. However, he became a confidential FBI informant before his identity was revealed without his consent, leading to his trial for making false statements to the agency. It was later revealed that the dossier was funded by Hilary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Despite the controversy surrounding the dossier, Danchenko stands by the majority of its contents, although he did not anticipate it being compiled into one document and released to the public without proper context. He also expressed his disappointment in the politicization of his work, as he sees it as purely intelligence-gathering without any political agenda.
One of the key issues in the US presidential race is the candidates' stance on Ukraine and its ongoing conflict with Russia. Danchenko believes that Putin would prefer Trump to win due to his reluctance to continue military support for Ukraine. On the other hand, Harris has promised to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
Danchenko also warned of the dangerous implications of the politicized rhetoric surrounding Trump's relationship with Russia, as it creates a divided perception of intelligence along party lines. He believes that Russia remains uniquely positioned to manipulate its influence on Trump, further exacerbating the already polarized political climate.
Despite facing criticism and being branded a traitor in Russia, Danchenko has remained dedicated to his work as a freelance consultant specializing in Russia and Eurasia. He hopes to use his experiences to shed light on the dangers of politicizing intelligence and the need for a more nuanced understanding of complex international relations.
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