New York Times: Top Trump campaigner has asked for online manipulation plans at Israeli company



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There is no evidence that Trump's campaign followed one of the proposals of Psy-Group, a company made up of former Israeli intelligence agents, report The Times, citing interviews and copies of proposals obtained by the newspaper. The campaign manager, Rick Gates, was finally not interested in the work of the company, told the Times a person familiar with the discussions.

Special advocate Robert Mueller and his team, who are investigating Russia's interference and on a possible coordination with the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election, have obtained copies of the proposals and interviewed employees of the group Psy-Group, according to people close to these interviews, reports the Times. .

The Times reports that the positions of Israeli society do not seem to be related to Moscow's campaign of interference.

Psy-Group owner Joel Zamel met with Donald Trump Jr. in August 2016, according to the Times.

Marc Mukasey, Zamel's lawyer, said in a statement that Zamel was not a target of Mueller's investigation.

"Mueller explained from the first day that Joel and his company had never been the focus of the investigation and that Joel had fully cooperated with the government to assist in his investigation and that we were not Had never heard from them since, "said Mukasey in a statement. at CNN. Zamel was interviewed by the Mueller team last winter.

"Mr. Zamel has never presented, nor discussed in any way, any of the Psy's proposals regarding US elections with anyone connected with the Trump campaign, including with Donald Trump Jr., except for the capabilities of some of its companies in general terms, "added Mukasey.

Gates was looking for a proposal to use fake online profiles to attack Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Trump's main opponent at the time, to influence 5,000 delegates at the Republican National Convention. 2016 in favor of Trump.

A separate proposal related to the search for opposition and "complementary intelligence activities" regarding Clinton and his relatives, according to copies of the proposals obtained from Times and interviews with four people involved in the creation of the documents.

A third proposal from Psy-Group describes a plan for using social media to expose or amplify the division between campaigns and rival factions, reports the Times.

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