United States | News & Politics

I understand why the major media passes on stories like these. When I published the J.D. Vance Dossier — provided to me by the same Iranian government-linked source who went by the name “Robert” — I was smeared as a dupe. In their telling, I had taken the “bait,” a silly word for it since I was fully aware and transparent that it was part of a hack-and-leak influence operation by the Iranian government. (The same, by the way, is true of the Rubio dossier.)

Or perhaps they’re worried about the FBI, which paid me a visit after I published the Vance dossier. Reuters subsequently reported (to their credit) that it had received its own notification from the FBI that they were victims of “foreign” interference. I’m told other news organizations received notifications as well, though they’ve declined to alert the public to this obvious pressure campaign.

Here are some of the highlights. They shed light on Rubio’s various (and highly contradictory beliefs) about foreign affairs and Donald Trump. All of what follows appears verbatim in the dossier, prepared by the Trump campaign.

Russian collusion in 2016: “In 2018, Rubio underscored that Putin interfered in the 2016 election, developed a preference for Trump, and should be punished for having done so.”

The 2020 Election: “On inauguration day, in January 2021, Rubio acknowledges Biden as “our new President” and calls him a “man of tremendous empathy.””

Trump as President: “In 2016, Rubio contended that Trump was dangerous and could not be trusted with America’s nuclear codes – a position he continued to hold even after dropping out of the 2016 GOP primary.”

9/11: “in 2015, Rubio criticized Trump’s criticism of Bush over 9/11 and claimed Trump “doesn't have a fundamental understanding of what caused 9/11.””

Russia: “In 2022, Rubio said it was “unfortunate” Trump was using language in seeming praise of Putin and called on Trump to be more “careful” with his wording.”

NATO: “In 2016, Rubio disagreed “with Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States shouldn’t automatically come to the defense of fellow NATO members if they are attacked”.”

“In 2019, Rubio joined a bipartisan group of Senators sponsoring legislation “that would prevent the president from withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) without Senate approval”.”

North Korea: In 2019, Rubio “also said he’s skeptical that ongoing negotiations between Trump and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un would lead the Asian country to give up its nuclear weapons”.”

Free Trade: “In 2011, Rubio noted “I think one of the great things that will help us grow our economy in the years to come is further free trade”; Rubio further noted his support for free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama, and Colombia.”

China: “in 2015: “as President, I would respond not through aggressive retaliation, which would hurt the U.S. as much as China, but by greater commitment and firmer insistence on free markets and free trade. This means immediately moving forward with the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other trade agreements”.

Border and Immigration: “In 2024, Rubio blamed the lack of a Congressional border security measure on ‘crazy… MAGA people’.”