Craig Unger, author American Kompromat

If you’ve been reading other Substacks whose authors are talking about Donald Trump’s relationship with Russia, you’ve probably come across the name Craig Unger.

Author of two definitive books on Trump and Russia, House of Trump, House of Putin (2019) and American Kompromat (2021) Unger is the gold standard on the question of whether Trump is, indeed, a Russian asset. That question has swirled around for years, but it has gained urgency in Trump’s second term.

What other explanation would there be for Trump’s vigorous championing of the Russian position on Ukraine in his alleged role as peacemaker?

Why would Trump undermine NATO, the alliance of the U.S. and European nations that has kept the West in a state of relative peace and prosperity since the end of World War II? Russian president Vladimir Putin views NATO as a threat, and is dedicated not only to weakening the alliance but also to expanding Russia’s borders, including, potentially, into neighboring countries that were once part of the Soviet Union.

We were excited to talk to Unger for the first in a monthly series of interviews with experts on subjects that are essential right now. We’ll be looking at corruption next, an issue that is woefully underreported.

A by-the-book investigative journalist who wrote for New York magazine and Vanity Fair, and author of half a dozen books, here is Craig Unger’s take on Trump and Russia.

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