MAZZETTI: So what’s your reaction to that?

PAPADOPOULOS: Initially, I felt that he was validating a rumor, because at the time, contrary to popular belief, there are were people talking about it in the international media that perhaps Hillary Clinton’s private server was compromised by foreign intelligence. So, of course, I was shocked because this is, you know, he’s talking about a potential crime, or it was a crime, but I had also heard rumors in the media at the time.

Whom he told about the potential dirt on Hillary Clinton.

MAZZETTI: But you know, so, you don’t remember — you don’t remember ever telling anyone, emailing anyone, messaging anyone, “Hey, there’s a bunch of dirt about Hillary Clinton. This could help the campaign.” Anything like that?

PAPADOPOULOS: I have no recollection of that at all, no.

MAZZETTI: Some might think that, the way you’re phrasing this, makes it sound like you’re leaving yourself some wiggle room. Saying, “I have no recollection.”

PAPADOPOULOS: That’s all I can say. I mean, actually, and the reason why I don’t know how much wiggle room — I don’t think I’m really leaving myself any wiggle room at all because probably 99 percent of my communication with the campaign was over email. You know, I was living in London. You know, I met some officials face to face very briefly. So the place I would have potentially sent this information — I think it’s public — I mentioned to Stephen Miller I’m receiving interesting messages from Moscow about a meeting, when the time is right. That was the same day that I had received that information. I think I had a scheduled call with Miller that same day, never went through, and perhaps that’s where it went. It just stayed in my mind.

[Later in the interview.]

MAZZETTI: One of the things that seems the most puzzling out of this whole Trump-Russia story is that you’re told about this pretty explosive information. It is information that would no doubt help the Trump campaign. You wanted to help the Trump campaign. You were very eager to gain, cement, a place in the campaign. And yet, you say you didn’t tell anyone about it but you did tell the Australian diplomat and the Greek foreign minister. Seems strange for people to sort of —

PAPADOPOULOS: I allegedly told the Australian, and I certainly told the Greek foreign minister, but let’s not forget, though, at the time I was shuffling between Europe quite frequently. I wasn’t at a campaign headquarters, where I would have the opportunity to sit down and probably talk with campaign heads. So, I actually I don’t find it shocking that I wouldn’t have told them something like this, considering my interactions with the campaign was, as I stated, probably 99 percent done via email. And maybe — you never know — maybe if the call between myself and Stephen Miller occurred that day, I would have told him. But that call never went through, and we’re left with receiving interesting messages from Moscow. It’s how fate works sometimes, I guess.