ella dreames ella dreames

the fate of our nation.

This whole Krasnov theory may have some weight to it.

The Fate of Our Nation and Why It Faces the Precipice

I’d like to outline the reasons why I don't support, and would never support, Donald Trump. To do so,

we need to delve into some history.

1987: The Art of the Deal and Early Moscow Ambitions

In 1987, Donald Trump released his book The Art of the Deal, in which he mentioned discussions with

Yuri Dubinin about "building a large luxury hotel, across the street from the Kremlin, in partnership

with the Soviet government."

1990-1991: The Dissolution of the Soviet Union

• June 1990: The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic declared sovereignty.

• August 1991: Declared independence.

• December 1, 1991: A referendum showed over 90% support for independence, leading to

international recognition.

• December 25, 1991: The Russian Federation established independence following Mikhail

Gorbachev's resignation, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

During this period, some Soviet oligarchs moved abroad, with destinations including New York and

Florida.

Boris Yeltsin's Presidency and the "End of History"

Boris Yeltsin became the first president of the Russian Federation. In many Western countries, this

period was colloquially deemed the "end of history," suggesting a belief in the inevitable triumph of

liberal democracy.

1999: Vladimir Putin's Rise to Power

• September 1999: Vladimir Putin, serving as Prime Minister under Yeltsin, gained popularity

due to his handling of a series of apartment bombings in Buynaksk and Volgodonsk. This surge

in approval helped secure his election as president in March 2000.

• There have been credible allegations that the 1999 apartment bombings were orchestrated by

Russia's own FSB (formerly the KGB) to bolster Putin's image.

2004: Ukrainian Political Turmoil and Paul Manafort's Involvement

• In 2004, Viktor Yanukovych, a member of the pro-Russian Party of Regions, was declared the

winner in a presidential election. Allegations of electoral fraud and voter intimidation led to

widespread protests and the occupation of Kyiv's Independence Square by Ukrainian citizens,

an event known as the Orange Revolution. The Ukrainian Supreme Court ordered a rerun of

the election, which Yanukovych lost.

• Paul Manafort, an American political consultant, managed Yanukovych's campaign.

2005: Trump Organization's Moscow Venture

In 2005, the Trump Organization signed a one-year contract for a construction project in Moscow with

the Bayrock Group real estate firm. One of the firm's principals was Felix Sater, a Russian-born

businessman with mob connections. This plan ultimately fell through, but Sater and Trump remained

on good terms.

Putin's Ideological Shift and Return to Presidency

During his second term, Putin resurrected the writings of early 20th-century fascist philosopher Ivan

Ilyin, incorporating them into the Russian school curriculum and referencing them in his speeches and

writings. From 2008 to 2012, Putin served as Prime Minister under President Dmitry Medvedev.

2008: Dmitry Rybolovlev's Purchase

In 2008, Dmitry Rybolovlev, a Russian oligarch, purchased a Palm Beach mansion from Donald Trump

for $95 million, significantly more than what Trump had paid for it a few years earlier.

2010: Polish Government Tragedy

In 2010, a Polish flight carrying 96 passengers, including the Polish president, senior military officers,

and other officials, crashed during an attempt to land in Smolensk, Russia. The crash resulted in the

deaths of many top Polish officials, leading to significant political changes in Poland.

2010: Yanukovych's Election and Subsequent Actions

In 2010, Viktor Yanukovych won the Ukrainian presidential election, deemed free and fair by

international observers. However, his tenure was marked by corruption, democratic backsliding, the

jailing of his former presidential opponent, and the stripping of press freedoms. Paul Manafort co-

authored some of Yanukovych's legislation.

2012: Putin's Re-election

During this time, rules around presidential terms and limits were changed in Russia. Putin was re-

elected in March 2012. By this time, many Russians realized that their elections were no longer free

and fair but were unsure which previous election was the last legitimate one.

2013: Renewed Trump Tower Moscow Efforts

• In 2013, Aras Agalarov, a Russian-Azerbaijani oligarch with ties to the Trump Organization,

helped bring the Miss Universe pageant to Moscow. Trump tweeted, "TRUMP TOWER-

MOSCOW is next."

• Felix Sater continued to play a significant role in various Trump real estate projects and

maintained ties with Russian oligarchs and organized crime.

2013: Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov's Arrest

In 2013, Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov, a Russian mobster residing in Trump Tower, was arrested by the FBI

for running an illegal gambling ring in the U.S.

2013: Vadim Trincher's Involvement

Vadim Trincher, involved in the same gambling ring, was a key figure in the operation and owned a

multi-million dollar apartment in Trump Tower.

2013: Viktor Vekselberg's Transactions

Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire Russian oligarch, through his investment firm Renova Group, handled

transactions between Trump and unnamed foreign entities.

2013: Yanukovych's Rejection of EU Deal and Euromaidan Revolution

• In November 2013, leading up to the signing of an association and trade agreement with the

European Union, Yanukovych made a sudden decision to withdraw, instead accepting a

Russian trade deal and loan bailout. This move isolated Ukraine's economy to Russia's whims,

sparking the Euromaidan Revolution. Ukrainians filled Kyiv's Independence Square overnight.

•

2014: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine & the Fallout

• February 2014: After months of protests, Yanukovych fled Ukraine, and the government was

replaced by a pro-democracy administration. Russia, in response, illegally annexed Crimea and

launched a covert war in Eastern Ukraine, backing separatists in the Donbas region.

• March 2014: The U.S. and EU imposed sanctions on Russia, targeting individuals close to Putin

and key sectors of the Russian economy.

• June 2014: Paul Manafort, having helped Yanukovych, was now in the shadows. Russian

propaganda began ramping up anti-Ukraine, anti-West narratives, something that would

later be echoed by American right-wing media.

2015-2016: Trump’s Presidential Run & Russian Interference

• June 2015: Donald Trump announced his candidacy for U.S. president. Around this time, Felix

Sater and Michael Cohen (Trump’s lawyer) were still negotiating for Trump Tower Moscow,

even offering Putin a free penthouse in the proposed building.

• 2016: Russia’s intelligence agencies, the GRU and FSB, hacked the DNC and John Podesta’s

emails, then leaked them via WikiLeaks, a key moment in their election interference efforts.

• June 2016: The Trump Tower meeting took place, where Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort,

and Jared Kushner met with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya to discuss potential

dirt on Hillary Clinton.

• July 2016: At a press conference, Trump publicly asked Russia to find Hillary Clinton’s emails

—and that same day, Russian hackers made their first attempt at breaching Clinton’s server.

• Summer/Fall 2016: Paul Manafort, who had deep ties to pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine,

served as Trump’s campaign chairman. He later had to resign after it was revealed he was

receiving secret payments from Yanukovych’s party.

• August 2016: The GOP platform removed language that would have supported Ukraine

against Russia, a move widely seen as a concession to Putin.

• October 2016: The Access Hollywood tape scandal broke, showing Trump bragging about

sexual assault. Within hours, WikiLeaks released a new batch of hacked Clinton emails, a

tactic experts believe was intended to distract from Trump’s scandal.

• November 2016: Trump won the election, and Russian state media celebrated his victory as a

win for Russia.

2017-2021: The Trump Presidency & Russia’s Influence

• 2017: Trump repeatedly downplayed Russian election interference, even contradicting U.S.

intelligence agencies.

• 2018: The Helsinki summit—Trump publicly sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence regarding

election interference.

• 2019: Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine in an effort to pressure President Zelenskyy

into investigating Joe Biden. This led to Trump’s first impeachment.

• 2020: Trump ignored Russian bounties placed on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

• 2021: Trump spread election lies, leading to the January 6 insurrection, an event cheered by

Russia’s propaganda networks.

The Bigger Picture

From the 1980s to today, Trump has been financially and politically entangled with Russia. His

policies, rhetoric, and actions consistently aligned with Putin’s interests:

• Weakening NATO

• Attacking U.S. allies

• Spreading Russian propaganda on Ukraine

• Undermining democracy at home

Given this long history, Trump’s current threats to abandon NATO, encourage Russia’s

expansionism, and attack democratic institutions make him a fundamental danger to the United

States and its allies.

This is why I will never support Donald Trump.

A Message from the Author

Russia cultivated Trump—whether through the KGB, the FSB, or directly through Putin, a former KGB

officer. As far as I can tell, this relationship began no later than 1986, shortly before the dissolution of

the Soviet Union. When a nation has no fear of presidential term limits, it can afford to play the long

game. Trump represents a long game—one in which Russia (or the Soviet Union) frames itself as an

innocent nation that fell only due to the machinations of the United States. Through Trump, Russia

imported the transitional mechanisms necessary to shift American psychology away from the politics

of inevitability and toward the politics of eternity.

"Inevitability"—as coined and explained by historian Timothy Snyder—is the idea that there are no

ideas. Those under its spell deny that ideas matter, proving only that they are in thrall to a powerful

one. It leads to the belief that there are no alternatives, discouraging individuals from questioning

history or taking responsibility for change.

• “The markets will sort it out.”

• “History arcs toward justice.”

• “Your vote doesn’t matter.”

• “There’s going to be progress.”

• “Capitalism leads to democracy.”

• “Things are gonna flow the way they’re gonna flow. And they’re flowing in the right direction.”

A whole generation was raised on these assumptions after the fall of the Soviet Union. They absolve

us of the responsibility to intervene in our democracy. By now, it should be clear where that has led

us.

“Life becomes a sleepwalk to a pre-marked grave in a pre-purchased plot.” —Timothy

Snyder

Ideas matter. A lot.

Eternity rises from the corpse of inevitability. It takes hold just as democracy fades into autocracy.

-ella dreames

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