“Russia Russia Russia.” “The Russia hoax.” “The greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” Trump has repeated this mantra so many times he practically foams at the mouth saying it. And then his son goes to Mongolia, of all places, following a trail that already has a very Epstein-shaped footprint on it, and disappears into the steppe for two days with a Russian businessman named Umar Kremlev. Except Kremlev’s real surname is Lutfulloev. I’m sorry, but “Umar Kremlev, born Lutfulloev” is not a real person’s name. That is a Soviet villain generated by a malfunctioning Red Alert character creator. A guy tied to Putin’s security establishment, who built a gigantic betting empire, ran international boxing, travelled with Putin’s delegation, got decorated by Putin, and reportedly covered hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding. Then this same guy flies in to spend two secluded days with the sitting US president’s son. And, according to the FT, they were careful not to be photographed together. Totally normal stuff. Meanwhile, in Russia, people parade inflatable missiles marked “To Washington!”, state television routinely fantasizes about turning American cities into radioactive ash, and the December 2021 ultimatum to the United States and NATO has never exactly been withdrawn. For years the Kremlin has told Russians that the war in Ukraine is really a war against America. And somehow the Trump family keeps having these astonishingly warm, private, lucrative relationships with people from Putin’s world. But sure. Russia Russia Russia. Hoax hoax hoax. At some point, guys, you have to stop pissing on everyone’s leg and telling us it’s raining. What the fuck are we actually looking at here?