CONNECTING THE DOTS

Report: Trump Aide Sent Email About Putin Meeting Request

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Dearborn reportedly “appeared skeptical.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Dearborn sent an email referencing an individual who was trying to arrange a meeting between Trump campaign officials and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year, CNN reports, citing an email recovered by congressional investigators. In the email, Dearborn, who worked on the campaign, included “information about an individual who was seeking to connect top Trump officials with Putin,” according to CNN. It is unclear who initiated the request, but the email referenced “WV,” which reportedly referred to West Virginia. A source told CNN that Dearborn, who did not respond to requests for comment, “appeared skeptical” of the request. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Russian operatives last year to tilt the presidential election in their favor.