I'm John Batchel. I welcome Craig Unger, distinguished novelist investigative reporter, my colleague, telling the story of Donald J. Trump, now twice elected president of the United States, and his long history of dealing with during the Soviet Union, state security, during the Putin-Russian Federation era, state security. But state security has a friend

in what is called the Russian mob. And in the later part of the 20th century and the early

part of the 21st century, it was an enormous amount of cash coming out of Russia. And it needed

to be laundered because it was

mob money and it was the consequence of illicit activities around the world.

Now, Russia at this point, years 2011, is not a state that's condemned by the European Union.

In fact, the European Union does big business, energy business with Russia. It's not a state that's condemned by the European Union. In fact, the European Union does big business,

energy business with Russia. It's not a state that's condemned by the United States. That would be

Barack Obama's time in office. There's been nothing irregular about Crimea. There's been no

little green men. That happens in 2014. Russia is seen as a failing state with a shrinking population

and ambitions to be what it once was a world power,

but not much is happening in that way.

However, Craig, a very good evening to you.

2011, Panama City.

What is the Trump International Hotel and Tower Panama? Good evening to you.

Good evening, John, and thank you for having me. The Panama operation was really a way,

but even before they went into Panama, they established a new template by which Trump risk absolutely nothing.

And it's good to have a little backstory to this before we continue.

Because as early as the 1980s, Trump had established good relations with the Russian mafia and with Russian state

security services. And by the way, they are sort of one in the same. When we talk about the

Russian mafia, it really is an adjunct of Russian security services. And this is also a period

during which Russia is no longer just an emerging democracy.

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