Sounds of silence as Russia probe pierces Trump’s inner circle

WASHINGTON   AFP   
May28, 2017-- Donald Trump, just back from his first international trip as US president, geared up to combat concerns Sunday over aides’ ties to Russia including explosive reports that his son-in-law sought a secret communications line with Moscow.   

 The latest furor was stirred up after The Washington Post reported late Friday that Jared Kushner -- arguably Trump’s closest White House aide, and husband to the president’s eldest daughter Ivanka -- made a pre-inauguration proposal to the Russian ambassador to set up a secret, bug-proof link with the Kremlin.    Kushner, 36, even suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States to protect such a channel from monitoring, The Post said, quoting US officials briefed on intelligence reports.   

 The report, if confirmed, would raise new questions about the Trump team’s relationship with the Russians, who US intelligence agencies say tried to sway the November election in Trump’s favour.