Welcome to pushback. I'm Aaron Mate. There is a new supposed Trump-Russia bombshell. The New York Times and other outlets reporting that Russia has been paying bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

Trump and the White House were allegedly briefed on this information, but I've taken no

action.

Now, the story has obvious holes.

Like many other Russia gate bombshells, it is sourced to anonymous intelligence

officials.

The New York Times says that the claim comes from Afghan detainees.

And it also has some logical holes.

The Taliban have been fighting the U.S. and Afghanistan for nearly two decades and never

needed Russian payments before to kill the Americans that they were fighting, amongst other questions raised about

this story. But that has not stopped the usual chorus from whipping up a frenzy.

Vladimir Putin is offering bounties for the scalps of American soldiers in Afghanistan.

Not only offering, offering money to people who kill

Americans, but some of the bounties that Putin has offered have been collected, meaning

the Russians at least believe that they're offering cash to kill Americans has actually

worked to get some Americans killed.

Donald Trump has continued his embarrassing campaign

of deference and debasing himself before Vladimir Putin.

He had had this information according to the Times,

and yet he offered to host Putin in the United States

and sought to invite Russia to rejoin the G7. He's in his entire presidency has been a gift to Putin.

But this is beyond the pale.

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