The Unexplored Dimensions of Foreign Influence: A Focus on Egypt
In the summer of 2017, as Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III embarked on his high-stakes investigation, his team was delving into potentially explosive allegations regarding foreign influence over Donald J. Trump and his presidential campaign. The inquiry took a surprising turn when C.I.A. intelligence was relayed to the special counsel’s office, suggesting that senior leaders of a foreign adversary had approved the clandestine funneling of millions of dollars, aided by a Trump campaign adviser who was described as acting like a “bag man,” directly to Mr. Trump in the critical final days of the 2016 election.
Interviews and other evidence gathered by Mueller’s team indicated that Mr. Trump had indeed lent his campaign a similar sum of money during the same period. Remarkably, after his unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton, Mr. Trump immediately adopted a much more favorable stance toward the foreign nation involved than his predecessors had. What many might not realize, however, is that this country was not Russia; it was Egypt.
Years after Mueller’s team began investigating these allegations, individuals familiar with the inquiry have acknowledged that, despite widespread attention fixated on connections between Trump’s campaign and Russia, the most concrete lead concerning possible foreign influence over Mr. Trump initially pointed toward Egypt. Those discussing the inquiry spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.
While Mueller has faced criticism for not aggressively pursuing investigations into Trump’s personal and financial ties to Russia, his team took significant steps to discern whether the Trump campaign had received any financial backing from Cairo. This inquiry reflects the serious nature of foreign business ties and the ongoing scrutiny of efforts by foreign entities and governments to sway Trump as he seeks to make a return to the White House.
The little-known investigation into potential Egyptian influence not only underscores the depth of past efforts to explore this issue but also serves to underline Trump’s long-standing claims of being subjected to a so-called “witch hunt.”
