Donald Trump’s presidency can said to have entered uncharted waters with the US special counsel Robert F. Mueller III, a former FBI director, indicting three aides of the Trump campaign committee, including chairman Paul Manafort, which oversaw his election against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016. The broad charge against all three, with specifics varying in each case, is collusion with the Russian government or its intermediaries to obtain damaging information against Ms Clinton, which the Russians appeared to have after hacking the emails of the Democratic campaign headquarters. While Mr Manafort and Rick Gates have pleaded not guilty, George Papadopoulos, the so-called “foreign policy adviser” of the Trump campaign, has entered a guilty plea.
This acceptance of guilt may be the most serious factor in raising suspicions about the active collaboration of Mr Trump’s campaign associates with Moscow, specially when seen in light of the President’s son also meeting Russian contacts. Whether this collaboration, most evident in the case of Mr Papadopoulos, also extends to engaging in conspiracy with the Russians is yet to be established.
How deep is the trouble President Trump is in as a result of these developments? It is hard to judge. but his reputation has taken a bad knock. Matters may only get worse if he dismisses the special counsel or uses his executive powers to pardon Mr Manafort, as some speculate. At any rate, the indictments are just the beginning of what might turn out a long chapter of subsequent disclosures. It’s too early — yet — to speak of impeachment. That also depends on how the US political system reacts.
