美国国家公共电台 NPR Report: Kushner Discussed Setting Up Secret Communications With Russia

 

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

The Washington Post reports this evening that President Trump¹'s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, discussed with the Russian ambassador the possibility of having a secret direct channel to the Kremlin leading up to the inauguration². And The Post reports that the FBI considers those conversations to be of investigative interest. National security reporter Greg Miller³ co-wrote this story for The Post. Welcome to the program.

GREG MILLER: Thank you.

SHAPIRO: The White House voluntarily disclosed some information about these meetings back in March. Tell us what you're reporting today that is new.

MILLER: So we are learning more about what occurs in this meeting? You're right that the White House would - might quibble with the word voluntarily, but they - you're right that they did disclose this meeting had occurred in early December with then National Security Adviser⁴ Michael Flynn, with Jared Kushner, the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

What we're learning more about tonight is one of the items that was discussed in that meeting, and it has to do with an idea of setting up a secure or private channel of communication going forward between Moscow and the Trump transition team that presumably would be beyond the scrutiny⁵ or monitoring of the U.S. government or the Obama administration.

SHAPIRO: How unusual would that be?

MILLER: I think it would be pretty extraordinary. I mean I really don't know of an instance in history where an incoming administration is trying to set up a private channel of communication with Moscow, let alone one that, you know, according Kislyak's account of this meeting, would involve using Russian communication facilities or equipment at Russian compounds, either the embassy or other diplomatic compounds in the United States. I mean it's hard to see another scenario⁶ in which that happens.

SHAPIRO: You write that even the Russians had some concerns about the security implications of this. What would the security implications be?

MILLER: Well, I mean essentially⁷ this would this would involve bringing a U.S. citizen, an American, into the Russian embassy, consulate⁸ or other facility, taking them into the most secure part of that building and putting them on the line with Moscow through the most sophisticated communication gear that the - Russia might have.

I mean for Russia, it's extremely important that their officials here are able to talk with Moscow - with the government in Moscow beyond the - beyond U.S. surveillance, out of reach of U.S. surveillance. So bringing an American in to use that that phone line would be pretty remarkable⁹.

SHAPIRO: Now, as I said, you also reported that the FBI considers these conversations of investigative interest. Describe how this fits into the larger picture of the ongoing¹⁰ investigation¹¹ into the Trump team's ties to Russia.

MILLER: Well, I think that, you know - I think it's easy to see why the FBI would be intrigued¹² by this. Why would the Russian ambassador be telling his bosses that the incoming president's closest adviser and son-in-law wants a private channel, a private way of talking? Why would they want that? There are all these other ways of communicating with Moscow on open channels. Or if you really need it, the State Department or the White House could probably help you set up a secure channel with Moscow if that was really that important. What is this about?

SHAPIRO: What is it about from the perspective of the Trump administration? What have they told you?

MILLER: Well, in this case, we got very little that we could use for the story. I mean you can see in the story, we have a - that the White House declined to comment. That's not for lack of trying. We spent a good deal of effort trying to get the White House version of events or a White House response to this. They were unwilling¹³ to provide that on the record.

SHAPIRO: That's Greg Miller of The Washington Post. Thanks very much.

MILLER: Thank you.

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

3 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

4 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

5 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

6 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

7 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

8 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 intrigued   

adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
• He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

13 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。