One of the KGB's top Cold War roles was to use covert methods (including Agents of Influence) to try to split the NATO alliance and alienate Western citizens from their governments. Hence the USSR encouraged unilateral nuclear disarmament calls of protesters within NATO countries in the 1980s, but not among the threatened masses of Warsaw Pact countries.
Ex-KGB man Putin (now Commander-in-Chief of all Russia's external intelligence agencies as well as FSB) has a record of successfully manipulating Trump as an Agent of Influence. Trump parroted some Putin policies during Trump's first presidency. Such as Trump typifying the US intelligence community as a "Deep State". This may resume during Trump's second presidency.
1.Reported12 Feb: Speaking at a rally in South Carolina on 10/11 Feb 2024 Trump recalled when he was President (2017-2021) Trump told a NATO member that Trump would "encourage" Russia to do as it wishes in cases of NATO allies who are "delinquent".[ie. A NATO country paying less than 2% of its GDP on Defence]. "'No I would not protect you. In fact I would encourage them [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want”. [to your NATO country].
Biden commented: "If my opponent, Donald Trump, is able to regain power,
he is making it clear as day that he will abandon our NATO allies if Russia
attacks," he said. "[Trump’s] admission that he intends to give Putin
a green-light for more war and violence, to continue his brutal assault against
a free Ukraine, and to expand his aggression to the people of Poland and
the Baltic states are appalling and dangerous."
2. If Trump wins the November 5th, 2024 Election Trump may
broker a Russo-Ukraine peace treaty that might largely be drafted by Putin. Hence
the resulting Russian victory over Ukraine would benefit Putin as well as Putin's
friend Trump. This is in terms of Russian
money through intermediaries for Trump.A Russian victory over
Ukraine might also embolden China into such risky behavior as blockading Taiwan
– starving Taiwan into surrender.
If China took Taiwan then the current third of Chinese military forces (aimed
at Taiwan) would be freed up for longer distance ventures – one day impacting
us in Australia. After all China is not just rapidly expanding its
military budget (now more than A$400 Billion per year) for mainland defence.
3.Further on US politics that directly impacts Australia. Biden’s loss in the November Election seems assured with thehorserace like oddson a Biden win plunging over the last week to 3.40 against Trump’s 1.91 (as at 12 Feb). Biden is now seen by many as anillegal hoarder of secret documents like Trump. What’s worse Biden is seen by the Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Hur as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”. Hur is a former official nominated to high office by Trump. The Trump camp are saying if Biden is too senile to stand trial Biden is too senile to be President.
There may be hope Biden is prepared for someone else, like Michelle Obama, to become the Democrat nominee, pre 2024 Election.