Donald Trump, Putin Had Second, Undisclosed, Hour-Long Encounter At G20 | Rachel Maddow

ABOUT TO REPORT ON THAT. SO WE'VE GOT THAT COMING UP
AHEAD TONIGHT. BUT WE'RE GOING TO START TONIGHT
WITH THIS LATE-BREAKING NEWS. SO -- THIS IS A LITTLE WINDOW
INTO MY WORK DAY. WHOLE STAFF IS WORKING AWAY
TODAY, CUBICLE FARMS ARE HUMMING.
WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE WORKING ON THE SHOW.
I'M IN MY OFFICE THREATENED TO BE BURIED UNDER PILES OF PAPER,
AS USUAL. WE'RE ALL WORKING AWAY LIKE WE
USUALLY DO. BY THIS POINT, ALMOST SIX MONTHS
INTO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WE AS A STAFF ARE NOW USED TO
BIG STORIES ABOUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BREAKING LATE IN
THE DAY AND THEN WE HAVE TO THROW OUR PLANS OUT THE WINDOW
AND START TO COVER INSTEAD WHAT THE OTHER NEW BOMBSHELL IS.
WE'RE USED TO THAT. BUT EVEN WITH THE FACT THAT WE
ARE USED TO THAT TIMING NOW AND TO STUFF BREAKING LATE IN THE
DAY, WHEN THESE HEADLINES POPPED TONIGHT, WHEN THIS STORY FIRST
CROSSED, TRUMP/PUTIN HELD A SECOND UNDISCLOSED MEETING AT
THE G20. WHEN THIS STARTED TO CROSS OUR
NEWSROOM, IT CAUSED AN AUDIBLE OH MY GOD TO CROSS OUR CUBICLE
FARM. OH, MY GOD.
SERIOUSLY? I GUESS WE SHOULD NOT BE
SURPRISED ANYMORE. WE SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED
SOMETHING LIKE THIS. BUT STILL, THIS IS REMARKABLE
NEWS AND THIS IS ABOUT, OF COURSE, THE G20 MEETING THAT
TOOK PLACE A WEEK AND A HALF AGO IN GERMANY.
AND THE FIRST FACE-TO-FACE ONE ON ONE CONTACT WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN AS PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA. THAT MEETING ENDED UP BEING
ITSELF PRETTY UNUSUAL. IT WENT ON FOR MORE THAN TWO
HOURS AND AFTER THAT UNUSUALLY LONG MEETING WAS OVER, THE
RUSSIANS HELD AN ON-CAMERA BRIEFING FOR THE PRESS ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT MEETING WHILE THE UNITED STATES DID NOT
DO THAT. NOW, THE RUSSIANS BRIEFING THE
PRESS AFTER THE MEETING AND THE AMERICANS NOT BRIEFING THE
PRESS, "THE NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BEHIND CLOSED DOOR."
SO THE OFFICIAL MEETING, IT WAS UNUSUALLY LONG.
MORE THAN FOUR TIMES ITS SCHEDULED LENGTH.
IT ENDED WITH JUST THE RUSSIANS BRIEFING THE PRESS ON WHAT
HAPPENED. BUT NOW ON TOP OF THAT WE ARE
LEARNING THAT THERE WAS A SECOND MEETING AT THAT SAME EVENT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE FIRST PEEP ABOUT THIS AS A POSSIBILITY HAD
ACTUALLY BEEN THE DAY AFTER THE MEETING.
THE SATURDAY AFTER AT THE END OF THE STORY THAT THEY REPORTED ON
THE G20 THAT DAY, BUZZFEED NEWS MENTIONED IN THEIR ARTICLE ABOUT
THE G20 THAT THEY HAD HEARD FROM A SINGLE SOURCE THAT THERE MIGHT
HAVE BEEN AN ADDITIONAL LONG CHAT BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND
VLADIMIR PUTIN THAT HADN'T BEEN DISCLOSED BY THE WHITE HOUSE BUT
NOW TODAY IT HAS BROKEN WIDE OPEN.
IAN BREMMER WILL DESCRIBE HIS SOURCES.
BUT HE'S REPORTING THAT, IN FACT, IN ADDITION TO THAT FORMAL
MEETING THAT WENT ON FOR TWO HOURS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY
SCHEDULED FOR HALF AN HOUR, TRUMP AND PUTIN THEN THEREAFTER
HAD A SECOND LONG MEETING LATER THAT NIGHT.
THAT TOOK PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT AN HOUR.
AND IN WHAT'S BEING DESCRIBED AS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT BREACH OF
NATIONAL SECURITY NORMS AND PROTOCOLS, IT WAS APPARENTLY
ONLY VLADIMIR PUTIN'S TRANSLATOR WHO WAS PRESENT FOR AND
PARTICIPATING IN THAT MEETING. IN THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN TRUMP
AND PUTIN, THERE WAS JUST THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATOR.
THERE WAS NO AMERICAN TRANSLATOR, NOR WERE THERE ANY
OTHER AMERICAN STAFF MEMBER WHO IS WERE TAKING PART IN THOSE
DISCUSSIONS. THAT IS A VERY UNUSUAL THING.
AND THEN THERE'S THE FACT THAT THE WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T TELL
ANYBODY THAT THE SECOND MEETING HAPPENED.
YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE, PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF ANYBODY
WHO WORKS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE IF THERE'S
ONE THING THIS WHITE HOUSE MIGHT BE AWARE OF BY NOW, IT'S THAT
UNDISCLOSED CONTACTS BETWEEN AMERICANS ASSOCIATED WITH DONALD
TRUMP AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS, PARTICULARLY AT THE HIGHEST
LEVELS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OF
INTENSE INTEREST IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT STILL, THE WHITE HOUSE NEVER MENTIONED IT.
THEY NEVER MENTIONED THAT THERE HAD BEEN THIS SECOND LONG
MEETING UNTIL IAN BREMMER BROKE THE NEWS AND THEN THE WHITE
HOUSE BELATEDLY CONFIRMED IT TONIGHT.
JOINING US NOW IS IAN BREMMER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> SURE, RACHEL, MY PLEASURE. >> SO FOR FOLKS WONDERING WHAT
THE EURASIA GROUP, TELL US WHAT THAT IS AND WHO YOU ARE.
>> SURE. I'M A POLITICAL SCIENTIST.
THE WORLD'S LARGEST POLITICAL RISK WHO LOOK AT HOW POLITICS
AFFECTS MARKETS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
>> POLITICAL RISK CONSULTANTCY. HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW ABOUT
THIS MEETING THAT THE WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T DISCUSS?
>> I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU WHO DIRECTLY TOLD ME, BUT THIS IS A
MEETING OF THE PRINCIPALS, THE G20s HEADS OF STATE, THEIR
SPOUSES, MOST IN ATTENDANCE. IT WAS A LONG DINNER, ALMOST
3 1/2 HOURS. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT
GROUP AND MANY OF THEM, INCLUDING ALL OF AMERICA'S
PRINCIPLE ALLIES, THEY FOUND IT REMARKABLE.
THEY WERE CONCERNED BY IT. IT WAS NOTEWORTHY AND SO IT GOT
OUT. AND I PERSONALLY WAS QUITE
SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS NO READOUT ON IT WHATSOEVER AFTER
THE MEETING HAPPENED AND SO, AS A CONSEQUENCE, ESPECIALLY SINCE
TRUMP HIMSELF AND THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS AND
WAS NOT DISCUSSED IN THE BROADER FORMAL MEETING, THE TWO-MOUR
MEETING THAT YOU JUST SPOKE ABOUT, DID THEY TALK ABOUT
SANCTIONS, THE HACKS, DID HE PUSH THEM, DID THEY NOT,
UKRAINE, ALL OF THAT. NONE OF THAT MATTERS IF THEY
THEN HAD AN HOUR ONE ON ONE AT THE DINNER WITH ONLY THE RUSSIAN
TRANSLATOR. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WAS IN THAT
CONVERSATION. >> NOW, WHEN YOU DESCRIBED THAT
AS A ONE-ON-ONE, WHILE YOU'RE TALKING, WE HAVE PICTURES FROM
THE DINNER. IS IT -- SHOULD WE THINK OF THE
SECOND MEETING THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING AS BEING SOMETHING
WHERE THEY WERE SEPARATE AND APART FROM EVERYBODY ELSE AT THE
DINNER? WERE OTHER PEOPLE AT A POSITION
WHERE THEY COULD OVERHEAR WHAT WAS BEING SAID?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD CALL IT A MEETING.
IT'S A DINNER. THE DINNER WAS 3 1/2 HOURS LONG.
VERY LONG. NOT EVERYONE THAT WAS SUPPOSED
TO ATTEND ACTUALLY SHOWED UP. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF EMPTY
SEATS AND HALFWAY THROUGH THE DINNER, TRUMP GETS UP, GOES
AROUND THE TABLE, SITS DOWN NEXT TO PUTIN AND HAS -- BEGINS THIS
CONVERSATION. EVERYONE THAT WAS THERE -- THIS
WAS IN FULL VIEW OF ALL OF THESE HEADS OF STATE AND THEIR SPOUSES
AND IT WAS VERY ANIMATED. IT WAS EXTREMELY FRIENDLY.
THERE WAS CERTAINLY A LOT OF HAND MOTION GOING ON BETWEEN THE
TWO LEADERS, THE TWO PRESIDENTS. BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT -- THEY
WERE OUT OF EARSHOT. UNLESS THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATOR
HAS A TAPE -- AND I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A REASONABLE
LIKELIHOOD THAT HE DOES, THEN NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE A
READOUT OF THIS MEETING. >> HOW UNUSUAL -- ON THAT POINT
OF THE TRANSLATOR, HOW UNUSUAL IS IT FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES TO HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE LENGTHY DISCUSSION
WITH A FOREIGN HEAD OF STATE USING ONLY THAT COUNTRY'S
TRANSLATOR WITH NO AMERICAN TRANSLATOR PARTICIPATING IN THE
DISCUSSION? >> APPARENTLY, PRESIDENT NIXON
USED TO DO IT BECAUSE HE FELT -- HE DIDN'T REALLY TRUST THE STATE
DEPARTMENT AT THAT POINT PROVIDING THE TRANSLATORS AND
DIDN'T WANT INFORMATIONATION GE OUT, LEAKING THAT HE WOULD WANT
TO KEEP PRIVATE. >> WOW.
>> INTERESTING HISTORICAL POINT. >> UH-HUH.
>> BUT GIVEN THE FACT, GIVEN HOW UNUSUAL THE TRUMP/PUTIN
RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN, HOW NOTABLY AND CONSISTENTLY WARMLY
BOTH OF THESE LEADERS HAVE TAKEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE TOWARDS
EACH OTHER, BOTH PUBLICLY AND AS WE SEE PRIVATELY, THE FACT THAT
YOU WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF A MEETING IN FRONT OF ALL OF THESE
LEADERS, THE FIRST G20 SUMMIT THAT TRUMP HIMSELF HAD ATTENDED
WITH AMERICAN ALLIES ALREADY UNNERVED THAT THEIR
RELATIONSHIP, THEIR PRIVATE BILATERALS, PHONE CALLS WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP LEADS THEM WORRYING, CAN WE REALLY COUNT ON
THE UNITED STATES IN TERMS OF NATO, SECURITY, GLOBAL TRADE,
CLIMATE, VALUES, YOU NAME IT, TO THEN SHOW THAT BY FAR HIS
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP IS WITH
COUNTRY THAT MANY OF THEM CONSIDER TO BE ANTAGONIST AND AT
LEAST UNTIL TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT, THE UNITED STATES DID
AS WELL. THAT'S UNUSUAL AND DISCONCERTING
FOR AMERICAN ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD AND IT CERTAINLY --
DESPITE THE FACT THAT TRUMP TWEETED THAT IT'S FAKE NEWS,
IT'S A REAL STORY. >> YEAH.
ANYTIME THE PRESIDENT HAS JUST TWEETED THAT SOMETHING IS FAKE
NEWS, WE JUST CONSIDER THAT TO BE A DAY THAT ENDS IN WHY AROUND
HERE. ONE LAST QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU,
MR. BREMMER, ON THE POINT OF THE WHITE HOUSE NOT DOING A READOUT
OF THIS, NOT EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS DISCUSSION, IT
SEEMS TO ME, JUST AS AN OBSERVER OF THESE THINGS, THAT THE WHITE
HOUSE ALMOST ALWAYS OR ALWAYS DOES A READOUT OF ANY DISCUSSION
THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS WITH A FOREIGN HEAD OF STATE.
PARTICULARLY IF IT'S NOT ONE HELD IN SECRECY, IF IT'S HELD IN
FULL VIEW OF OTHER PEOPLE SO THEY CAN TELL THAT SOME
DISCUSSION HAPPENED. ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT, TOO,
THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO WHITE HOUSE READOUT OR DISCUSSION
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, THAT ALSO IS VERY UNUSUAL HERE?
>> I THINK IT DEPENDS. I MEAN, CERTAINLY WHEN YOU HAVE
MEETINGS LIKE THIS, BIG SUMMITS, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR A COUPLE OF
LEADERS WITH BUSINESS TO DISCUSS TO TAKE EACH OTHER ASIDE FIVE
MINUTES, TEN MINUTES, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT GIVEN THE UNUSUAL NATURE OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY, THE
UNIQUELY UNUSUAL NATURE OF THE TRUMP/PUTIN RELATIONSHIP AND THE
LENGTH OF THIS MEETING THAT THEY CHOSE NOT TO DISCLOSE, GIVEN THE
CONTROVERSY AROUND THE BROADER DISCLOSED MEETING, PUBLIC
MEETING AS IT WERE, THIS ALL STRIKES ME AS EXCEPTIONALLY
UNUSUAL. AND SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING
TO GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON. >> IAN BREMMER, PRESIDENT OF THE
EURSIA GROUP WHO THIS TO NATIONAL ATTENTION TONIGHT,
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> MY PLEASURE, RACHEL.
THANKS. >> YEAH.
LIKE I SAID, THE NEWS CAME ACROSS SECOND UNDISCLOSED
MEETING BETWEEN TRUMP AND PUTIN. MY OFFICE IS LIKE HERE AND MY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER'S OFFICE IS HERE AND THE OTHER OFFICES FOR
EVERYBODY WHO WORKS ON THE STAFF KIND OF SPLAY AROUND THE CORNER
LIKE THIS. I HEARD IT LIKE A STADIUM WAVE
MADE AUDIBLE. OH, MY GOD, OH, MY GOD, DID YOU

Donald Trump, Putin Had Second, Undisclosed, Hour-Long Encounter At G20 | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

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