March 2016

George Papadopoulos joins the campaign. He says he was told that a priority of the campaign was a better relationship with Russia. He meets with a London-based professor who claims to have ties to the Russian government. Russian hackers begin targeting computer networks of the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Clinton campaign. They send a phishing email to John D. Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman and proceed to steal the entire contents of his account — about 50,000 emails. Trump names members of his foreign policy team, including Papadopoulos and Carter Page. Paul Manafort, a veteran Republican strategist, is brought on to the campaign to lead the delegate-wrangling effort. Papadopoulos tells Trump, Senator Jeff Sessions and others at a campaign meeting that he can arrange a meeting between Trump and Putin. tells Trump, Senator Jeff Sessions and others at a campaign meeting that he can arrange a meeting between Trump and Putin. »

April 2016

A Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee employee opens a link to a fraudulent login page and enters password. Fake ad: “I say no to Hillary Clinton / I say no to manipulation.” Russian hackers use stolen credentials to infiltrate the D.C.C.C.’s computer network and install malware. They search the network for “hillary," “cruz," and “trump” and copy a folder called “Benghazi Investigations.” Fake ad: “JOIN our #HillaryClintonForPrison2016.” Papadopoulos tells Stephen Miller, a top campaign adviser, that Putin wants to meet Trump. The professor tells Papadopoulos that the Russians have “dirt” on Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. professor tells Papadopoulos that the Russians have “dirt” on Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. » This occurs about two months before the Russian hacking is publicly revealed and is the first of at least two times the Trump campaign is told Russia has “dirt” on Hillary Clinton.

May 2016

Papadopoulos tells the Australian ambassador to Britain that Russia has dirt on Clinton. tells the Australian ambassador to Britain that Russia has dirt on Clinton. » This revelation provoked the F.B.I. to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign months before the presidential election. Papadopoulos forwards Timofeev’s email to Sam Clovis, another campaign aide. Fake ad: “Donald wants to defeat terrorism ... Hillary wants to sponsor it.” Papadopoulos tells Lewandowski that the Russians are interested in hosting Trump. Page floats the idea with the campaign of Trump going to Russia in his place “to raise the temperature a little bit.” Dearborn receives a second, similar, proposal, which he forwards to Kushner, Manafort and Rick Gates, a business associate of Manafort's. Kushner rebuffs the proposal. receives a second, similar, proposal, which he forwards to Kushner, Manafort and Rick Gates, a business associate of Manafort's. Kushner rebuffs the proposal. » Both efforts appear to involve Alexander Torshin, a key figure in Mr. Putin’s United Russia party who was instructed to make contact with the Trump campaign. Mr. Torshin met Donald Trump Jr. at a dinner during the N.R.A.'s annual convention a few days later. Fake ad: “Vote Republican, vote Trump, and support the Second Amendment!" Papadopoulos forwards an email from Timofeev to Manafort, who forwards it to Gates with a note: “We need someone to communicate that DT is not doing these trips.” Fake ad: “Hillary Clinton Doesn’t Deserve the Black Vote.” Thousands of D.N.C. emails are stolen. Trump clinches the Republican nomination. At a rally the next day, he calls Putin “a strong leader.”

June 2016

Papadopoulos tells Clovis that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked if Trump is interested in visiting Russia. Aras Agalarov is told that the Russian government wants to give the Trump campaign damaging information about Clinton. This is the second time a campaign official was told of “dirt” on Clinton. Russian trolls use a fake email account to publicize a June “March for Trump” rally in New York. They also reach out to the Trump campaign for rally signs. Clinton becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee. Goldstone follows up with Trump Jr. about when he can “talk with Emin by phone about this Hillary info.” Phone records show Trump Jr. called a blocked number before and after calls to Emin. Goldstone tells Trump Jr. that Emin asked him to schedule a meeting “with you and the Russian government attorney who is flying over from Moscow for this Thursday.” Trump Jr. confirms the meeting and says Manafort and Kushner are likely to join him. This statement comes three hours after Trump Jr. confirms the Trump Tower meeting. The speech never happens. Fake ad: “Trump is our only hope for a better future!” DCLeaks.com goes live and posts thousands of stolen emails. The Russians nabbed a meeting at Trump Tower with top campaign officials, including the president’s eldest son, after promising damaging information about Clinton. The D.N.C. breach becomes public. D.N.C. breach becomes public. » Russian hackers create the Guccifer 2.0 persona to help throw suspicion off Russia. Guccifer 2.0 announces it is releasing “just a few docs from many thousands I extracted when hacking into DNC's network.” Trolls use stolen Social Security numbers to open bank and PayPal accounts. Page emails Lewandowski and Hope Hicks, Trump's spokeswoman, about his upcoming Moscow trip. He also mentions it to Sessions during a dinner in Washington. emails Lewandowski and Hope Hicks, Trump's spokeswoman, about his upcoming Moscow trip. He also mentions it to Sessions during a dinner in Washington. » Guccifer 2.0: “Hi! I’m on Twitter now! this is my official account!” WikiLeaks asks Guccifer 2.0 for the stolen D.N.C. emails. Fake Facebook account is used to hire someone to help with a rally. Manafort says it is “absurd” to think there are any ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump Jr. says it is “disgusting” and “phony” to suggest that Russia is helping Trump. Jr. says it is “disgusting” and “phony” to suggest that Russia is helping Trump. » His meeting with Russians two weeks earlier would be reported by The Times in July 2017. “March for Trump” rally in New York organized by Russians. Goldstone emails Scavino about the Russian social media platform, saying he mentioned the idea “to Don and Paul Manafort during a meeting recently.” Fake ad: "#NeverHillary #HillaryForPrison #Hillary4Prison #HillaryForPrison2016 #Trump2016 #Trump #Trump4President”

July 2016

Posters with a sham quote attributed to Clinton ordered for “Save American Muslims” rally. WikiLeaks asks Guccifer 2.0 to send anything “Hillary related” prior to the Democratic National Convention. Washington, D.C., rally organized by Russians: “Support Hillary. Save American Muslims.” Facebook ads bought for “Down With Hillary” rally. Guccifer 2.0 sends WikiLeaks instructions for accessing the stolen D.N.C. documents. Fake ad: “Ohio Wants Hillary 4 Prison.” Trump accepts the Republican nomination for president. Days before the Democratic National Convention, WikiLeaks releases nearly 20,000 stolen emails. New York rally organized by Russians: “Down with Hillary.” Fake Facebook group “United Muslims of America” posts that Muslim voters are “between Hillary Clinton and a hard place.” Trump: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.” “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.” » These events happened on the same day, but it is not known whether the Russians' actions were actually in response to Trump's statement.

August 2016

Trolls send message to a real Trump Facebook account about “organizing a YUGE pro-Trump flash mob in every Florida town.” Fake ad: “Hillary Clinton has already committed voter fraud during the Democrat Iowa Caucus.” Over the next couple of months, Roger J. Stone Jr., a longtime Trump adviser, repeatedly claims he is in contact with Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, and seems to foreshadow the release of Podesta's emails. the next couple of months, Roger J. Stone Jr., a longtime Trump adviser, repeatedly claims he is in contact with Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, and seems to foreshadow the release of Podesta's emails. » Stone later denies any direct contact with Assange or having advance knowledge of the document dumps. Fake ad: “We cannot trust Hillary to take care of our veterans!" Fake Twitter account posts accusations of voter fraud in North Carolina. Clovis encourages Papadopoulos to make the trip to Russia. Trolls use a fake Instagram account to promote the pro-Trump Florida rallies. Money is wired to a person who is building a cage large enough to hold a Clinton impersonator at a rally. Manafort is ousted from the campaign days after reports disclosed financial dealings with the pro-Russia party of a former Ukrainian president. is ousted from the campaign days after reports disclosed financial dealings with the pro-Russia party of a former Ukrainian president. » Fake persona is used to ask a real Tea Party activist to promote the Florida rallies. Multiple Florida rallies organized by Russians. Stone tweets: “Trust me, it will soon [be] the Podesta’s time in the barrel. #CrookedHillary.” Facebook ads are bought for the New York rally.

September 2016

A Clinton impersonator is asked to travel to New York for another rally. WikiLeaks sends a direct Twitter message to Trump Jr. He thanks WikiLeaks for the message and emails several top campaign officials, including Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway and Kushner to let them know.

October 2016

Pennsylvania rallies organized by Russians: “Miners for Trump” WikiLeaks sends another private message to Trump Jr., asking him to push a story about Clinton. The Obama administration accuses the Russian government of hacking. Obama administration accuses the Russian government of hacking. » These three significant events happened within hours of one another on the afternoon of Oct. 7. WikiLeaks then released a new batch of Podesta's emails every day until the election. Trump: “I love WikiLeaks!” In another private Twitter message, WikiLeaks asks Trump Jr. if he can ask his father to tweet about the Podesta emails. another private Twitter message, WikiLeaks asks Trump Jr. if he can ask his father to tweet about the Podesta emails. » Trump seemed to tweet about the emails 15 minutes after WikiLeaks sent its request to Trump Jr. Fake ad: “Among all the candidates Donald Trump is the one and only who can defend the police from terrorists.” Instagram account “Woke Blacks” used to encourage people of color not to vote. Fake ad: “Hillary is a Satan, and her crimes and lies had proved just how evil she is.” Cohen creates a shell company to pay off Stephanie Clifford, the adult film star known as Stormy Daniels who said she had sexual relations with Trump. creates a shell company to pay off Stephanie Clifford, the adult film star known as Stormy Daniels who said she had sexual relations with Trump. »

November 2016