I know this is going to sound "far-fetched" but I'm wondering if reports of a Russian intelligence ship, sailing in International waters near the US East Coast, first detected near Delaware on Tuesday (2.14.2017), then Connecticut, then detected 19 miles away from Norfolk on Thursday - might be "a signal" to Trump - that Putin "has his back" in case of an emergency?
Trump has been staying close to Mar-a-Lago in the last few weeks, even held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ... there in Florida. I'm guessing, due to the instability and political climate, Trump might not feel safe in Washington?
National security advisor Gen. Michael Flynn, resigned on Monday (2.13.2017) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was due in Bonn, Germany for the G20 foreign Ministers’ Summit and to meet Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday (2.16.2017). The meeting between Tillerson and Lavrov had a strange twist, when Tillerson's had his staffers rush the journalists out of the room, so the meeting could be conducted in private? Considering Tillerson's background and past history with business dealings with both Putin and Lavrov, Tillerson must have had a good reason for breaking protocol?
Maybe, they are aware of a possible assassination attempt on Trump?
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov for the first time, during the G20 foreign ministers’ summit in Bonn, Germany. The first meeting between the foreign ministers was marked with several moments of awkwardness.
Awkward: Tillerson and Lavrov First Meeting Makes Journalists Cringe (Video)
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201702161050766466-tillerson-lavrov-meeting-awkward-moment/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUYT0TNHpho (1:50 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbRmOjl6RE0 (RT Video 3:48 min.)
Thurs. 16.02.2017 For the first time since his February 1 confirmation, Tillerson met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. As would be typical for a meeting between diplomats, they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
For the first time since his February 1 confirmation, Tillerson met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. As would be typical for a meeting between diplomats, they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
Ordinarily, the two would deliver opening remarks, take one or two impromptu questions, and then adjourn to speak in private. Lavrov greeted Tillerson by congratulating him on his appointment. A journalist then asked Lavrov about Russia's stance on the resignation of US President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn.
"You should know we do not interfere in the domestic matters of other countries," Lavrov replied.
But when Tillerson began to speak, instead of returning the introduction or taking questions on his own, his staffers rushed the journalists out of the room. Lavrov was visibly surprised by this. "Why did you shush them out?" the Russian top diplomat asked.
After the private meeting concluded, Tillerson appeared before the media and read a statement. "Foreign Minister Lavrov and I had a productive meeting," he said. "We discussed a range of issues of mutual concern."
The Russian intelligence ship, which has been sailing in the international waters near the US east coast, has been spotted not far from a naval base near Virginia Beach, Fox News reported.
Russian Intelligence Ship Approaches Largest US Naval Base in Virginia - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702171050795015-russia-ship-virginia/
Friday 17.02.2017 - The SSV-175 Viktor Leonov remains in international waters and was detected 19 miles away from Norfolk, which houses the largest US naval base, Fox News reported.
The vessel, which can intercept signals and measure US sonar capability, was "loitering" in the water, according to media reports.
On Thursday, Viktor Leonov was spotted some 30 miles south of Groton Navy submarine base in the US state of Connecticut. The ship was first detected near the east coast on Tuesday, when it approached Delaware.
The United States is monitoring activities of Russian intelligence ship Viktor Leonov, which has been sailing in international waters off the US east coast, and has seen no violations, the US Department of Defense spokesperson Jeff Davis said in a briefing on Friday.
Pentagon Tracking Activities of Russian Ship Off East Coast, Finds No Violations
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702171050799916-russia-ship-east-coast/
Friday 17.02.2017 - Earlier in the day it was reported that the Russian intelligence ship, which has been sailing in the international waters near the US east coast, has been spotted not far from a naval base near Virginia Beach. The SSV-175 Viktor Leonov remains in international waters and was detected 19 miles away from Norfolk, which houses the largest US naval base, Fox News reported.
"It is lawful and very similar to operations we do ourselves in places around the world," Davis stated when asked to comment on the ship's movements.
Davis said the Russian ship has not entered US territorial waters and the Coast Guard continues to track its movements.
Aides to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson purged approximately two dozen State Department staffers on Thursday, in a shakeup that has many officials on edge, fearing that a major restructuring is imminent.
Big Cleanup at State: Tillerson Firing Staffers in Troves
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702181050806803-tillerson-mass-firing-state-department/
While Tillerson was away on his first overseas trip as Secretary of State attending the G20 in Bonn, Germany, his aides alerted much of the staff working for the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and the Counselor offices that their services were no longer needed.
US President Donald Trump’s director of scheduling and five other White House employees were dismissed due to failed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) checks, Politico reported referring to the sources familiar with the situation.
Six White House Staffers Dismissed After Failing FBI Background Checks - Reports
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702171050787179-wh-staffers-dismissed-fbi/
The staffers were fired and several of them "walked out of the building by security" on Wednesday after they failed to pass SF86, a Questionnaire for National Security Positions for security clearance, Politico news website reported referring to the sources familiar with the situation.
President Donald Trump is preparing a major overhaul of the current US intelligence apparatus, following a string of leaks and reports that intelligence community officials are withholding information from the White House.
Purge: Trump Prepares Major Overhaul of Intelligence Apparatus
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201702161050766635-trump-intelligence-overhaul/
The person reported to be spearheading the effort is a New York hedge-fund billionaire and strong Trump ally Stephen A. Feinberg.
Feinberg is co-founder of Cerberus Capital Management, and a current member of Trump’s economic advisory council. He has not been officially announced for the job, but the New York Times has reported that private-equity manager has informed his company shareholders that he is in discussions to join the administration.
On Thursday, Trump vowed to punish those leaking classified information to the press, including the details about phone calls between former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the Russian ambassador.
"We're going to find the leakers and they're going to pay a big price," Trump told reporters.
Details regarding Trump’s phone calls with the leaders of Russia, Mexico, and Australia have also been leaked to the press.
“The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by ‘intelligence’ like candy. Very un-American!” Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
John Schindler, former National Security Agency analyst and counterintelligence officer,
tweeted two hours later that the intelligence community will now be “going nuclear” against Trump, and added that the President will “die in jail.” Now we go nuclear.
During a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the afternoon, Trump referred to the leaks as “criminal” and a result of Democrats seeking to shift the blame for their election loss away from themselves.
“From intelligence, papers are being leaked, things are being leaked; it’s criminal action. It’s a criminal act, and it’s been going on for a long time before me, but now it’s really going on,” Trump said during a news conference. “People are trying to cover up for a terrible loss that the Democrats had under Hillary Clinton.”
Last week, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced that the administration had launched an investigation into the leaks.
“The spotlight has finally been put on the low-life leakers! They will be caught!” Trump tweeted on Thursday.
The hostile relationship between Trump and the intelligence community has also led to reports that information is being withheld from his administration, an issue the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) denied on Wednesday.
"Any suggestion that the US Intelligence Community is withholding information and not providing the best possible intelligence to the President and his national security team is not true,” according to an ODNI statement released late Wednesday evening.
The issue was also raised during a Thursday news conference in which Trump announced Alexander Acosta as the new nominee for US Labor Secretary.
“The people who gave information to the press should be ashamed,” Trump said of the leakers.
"I've actually called the Justice Department to look into the leaks, those criminal leaks," Trump stated. "I think, you will see it stopping because now we have our people in."
Former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is not expected to face charges of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over the alleged provision of the agency with misleading information about his talks with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak, local media reported, citing law enforcement officials.
FBI Has No Plans to Pursue Charges Against Flynn Over Talks With Russian Envoy
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702171050773515-us-flynn-fbi-russia/
During a meeting with the FBI interviewers, Flynn denied any discussions of sanctions with Kislyak.
An unidentified object was thrown at the motorcade of US President Donald Trump in Florida, a US Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement.
Secret Service Launches Probe After Trump’s Motorcade Hit by Unidentified Object
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702181050809810-trump-motorcade-unidentified-object/
The object, which may have been a rock, was thrown at the motorcade on Friday when Trump was going from the Palm Beach International Airport to the Mar-a-Lago resort, a press pool report cited by Politico said.
"The Secret Service can confirm that an object appears to have been thrown at the motorcade this afternoon," the Friday statement says, as quoted by Politico, adding that an investigation is currently underway.
Two items were reportedly collected and taken away by a Palm Beach police crime scene unit after the incident.
Trump has been in Florida for several weeks, staying at his Palm Beach retreat Mar-a-Lago. There he held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
A group of United States congressmen have submitted to Congress legislation that would hinder President Donald Trump’s ability to lift sanctions against Russia.
US Establishment Forming Bipartisan Bloc Against Trump Getting Along With Putin
https://sputniknews.com/us/201702171050789574-putin-trump-congress/
According to Senator Bob Corker, the bill will soon get a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The restrictions provisioned by the legislation first of all relate to sanctions imposed by President’s executive orders or by departments. They are the majority of sanctions imposed in the last months of Barack Obama’s presidency. According to the law, they can be overturned.
If passed, the new legislation will turn Obama’s executive orders on anti-Russian sanctions into bills. Thus, President Trump will not be able to remove or ease sanctions without approval from Congress.
The document requires a 120-day revising period. If the president fails to provide the reasons for sanctions being removed or eased Congress can pass a vetoing resolution on the matter.
The initiative is led by Lindsey Graham and Ben Cardin, and supported by John McCain, Marco Rubio, Claire McCaskill, Sherrod Brown.