The former head of Kazakhstan's intelligence service, Alnur Musayev, recently stated in a post on "Facebook" that Donald Trump was recruited by the KGB in 1987, when he first visited Moscow as a 40-year-old real estate tycoon. The information was disseminated by the American media The Hill, quoted by BTA.
Musayev does not provide documentary evidence, but claims that Trump's file is in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He is not the only former KGB officer to claim that Trump was the subject of intelligence interest. Yuri Shvets, a former KGB major now living in Washington, was a key source for Craig Unger's book "American Kompromat," which examines Trump's potential ties to the Soviets. Shortly after Musayev's publication, another former KGB officer, Sergei Zhirnov, confirmed the claim in an interview with a Ukrainian journalist. He said Trump was monitored around the clock during his stay in Moscow - from the taxi driver to the hotel staff. Zhirnov claims that the KGB had compromising records that may be related to corruption or other unacceptable actions.
Although none of the sources provide evidence, the fact that three different former KGB officers make similar claims leads The Hill to conclude that the topic should not be dismissed.
According to the publication, if compromising material against Trump exists, it could explain his attitude towards NATO, Europe and Ukraine, as well as his admiration for Vladimir Putin and his penchant for authoritarian leaders.
Unsurprisingly, Trump and his supporters deny such claims, and critics point out that such revelations may be an attempt to discredit the former US president.