From Sputnik to Trump's lips

Trump recited false information at a rally from a Russian disinformation op as fact. It had not been reported anywhere else. How did Trump get it?

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At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump held up a piece of paper and proceeded to report a false story that had only been reported by a Russian controlled agency, Sputnik, a Russian propaganda outlet.

“This just came out a little while ago,’’ Trump said. “I have to tell you this.” And then he read the words from my [Eichenwald’s] article.

In the article linked below, Eichenwald explains that the false information originated from a hacked email from John Podesta’s account and was related to the Benghazi investigation. In the hacked email, Blumenthal quoted Eichenwald’s Newsweek article but the Russian agency distorted the information to make it appear as if the words were Blumenthal’s in attempt to link it to Hillary. Trump quoted this exact misinformation at his rally.

This misinformation was only available on the Russian Propaganda station Sputnik for a very brief time until they removed it. So the question is, how did Trump get his little digits on it?

x This morning, Russian govt news engaged in disinformation op. This afternoon, Trump recited same false info at rally https://t.co/1d5qvU01Yi Ã¢ÂÂ Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) October 11, 2016

DEAR DONALD TRUMP AND VLADIMIR PUTIN, I AM NOT SIDNEY BLUMENTHAL This false story was only reported by the Russian controlled agency (a reference appeared in a Turkish publication, but it was nothing but a link to the Sputnik article). So how did Donald Trump end up advancing the same falsehood put out by Putin’s mouthpiece? At a rally in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, Trump spoke while holding a document in his hand. He told the assembled crowd that it was an email from Blumenthal, whom he called “sleazy Sidney.” “This just came out a little while ago,’’ Trump said. “I have to tell you this.” And then he read the words from my article. “He’s now admitting they could have done something about Benghazi,’’ Trump said, dropping the document to the floor. “This just came out a little while ago.” The crowd booed and chanted, “Lock her up!” This is not funny. It is terrifying. The Russians engage in a sloppy disinformation effort and, before the day is out, the Republican nominee for president is standing on a stage reciting the manufactured story as truth. How did this happen? Who in the Trump campaign was feeding him falsehoods straight from the Kremlin?