**Trump’s True Crimes – Episode 73: WikiLeaks Coordination**

During the 2016 election, Donald Trump and his campaign maintained **covert communications with WikiLeaks**, the organization responsible for releasing thousands of stolen Democratic emails.

Evidence shows that **Roger Stone**, a longtime Trump associate, acted as the **go-between**, signaling to WikiLeaks which documents would cause maximum political damage. Stone repeatedly **publicly hinted at upcoming leaks**, months before they were published, raising questions about coordination.

Internal messages and emails reveal that Stone and campaign officials **strategized to exploit WikiLeaks’ releases**, using them to **undermine Hillary Clinton’s campaign** and push targeted narratives to the media. The intent was clear: to **leverage stolen information** for political gain, while Trump publicly **denied any connections**.

This coordination went beyond casual awareness. Stone communicated **directly with WikiLeaks** through intermediaries, discussing timing and content. Meanwhile, Trump publicly amplified the leaks, **tweeting about them repeatedly**, creating a feedback loop that magnified the impact.

The Special Counsel investigation confirmed that these actions were **deliberate and coordinated**, blurring the lines between the Trump campaign and a foreign-linked information operation. Stone was later convicted on charges related to obstruction, witness tampering, and lying to Congress, cementing the **criminal risk inherent in the campaign’s coordination with WikiLeaks**.

Trump’s public denials contrasted sharply with internal efforts, exposing a campaign **willing to manipulate stolen data to sway an election** while maintaining plausible deniability.

Next up: **Episode 74 – Trump Tower Meeting with Russians**.