Trump ‘the victim’ as Clinton camp paid for Russian dossier

DONALD TRUMP yesterday claimed he was a “victim” after it emerged Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign helped pay for a controversial dossier making allegations about his ties to Russia.

The dossier was compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British spy.

It emerged on Tuesday that a funding arrangement for the dossier was brokered by Marc Elias, a lawyer for the Clinton campaign and the

‘The Democrats always denied it, and now they said, yes, they did it’

Democratic National Committee. Reacting to the revelation, Mr Trump said: “The victim here is the president.”

He added: “Hillary Clinton always denied it. The Democrats always denied it, and now they said, yes, they did it. They admitted it and they are embarrassed by it. I think it is a disgrace.

“I think it is a sad commentary on politics in this country. This was the Democrats coming up with an excuse for losing an election.”

The dossier contained allegations about financial ties between Mr Trump and Russia and unsubstantiated lewd claims about his private life.

Brian Fallon, a former Clinton campaign spokesman, said he had not known about Mr Steele’s hiring before the election, but that if he had, he would have “volunteered to go to Europe and try to help him”.

He said: “I have no idea what Mr Steele was paid but if even a shred of that dossier ends up helping, it will prove money well spent.”

The work that led to the dossier is believed to have been originally begun by one of Mr Trump’s rivals for the Republican nomination before being funded by the Democrats.

Mr Trump said he might know which Republican had been involved: “They say it began with the Republicans. I think I would know but I won’t say. It will be determined.”

The disclosure is likely to fuel Mr Trump’s complaints that the dossier is a collection of uncorroborated claims, yet the FBI has been investigating it. As part of the probe into possible coordination last year between Russia and the Trump campaign, special counsel Robert Mueller’s team has spoken with Mr Steele.