Carter Page
¶Carter Page worked for the Trump Campaign from January 2016 to September 2016. He was formally and publicly announced as a foreign policy advisor by the candidate in March 2016.516 Page was interviewed by the FBI during five meetings in March 2017, before the Special Counsel's appointment. [Redacted: (b) (3)] Page had lived and worked in Russia, and he had been approached by Russian intelligence officers several years before he volunteered for the Trump Campaign. During his time with the Campaign, Page advocated pro-Russia foreign policy positions and traveled to Moscow in his personal capacity. Russian intelligence officials had formed relationships with Page in 2008 and 2013 and Russian officials may have focused on Page in 2016 because of his affiliation with the Campaign. However, the investigation did not establish that Page coordinated with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.
96Background
¶Before he began working for the Campaign in Janmuy 2016, Page had substantial prior experience studying Russian policy issues and living and working in Moscow. From 2004 to 2007, Page was the deputy branch manager of Menill Lynch 's Moscow office.517 Testimony ofCarter Page, Hearing Before the US. House ofRepresentatives, Pennanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 115th Cong. 40 (Nov. 2, 2017) (exhibit). There, he worked on transactions involving the Russian energy company Gazprom and came to know Gazprom's deputy chief financial officer, Sergey Yatsenko.518 Page 3/30/ 17 302, at 10. 519 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 520 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 521 [Redacted: (b) (3)]
¶In 2008, Page founded Global Energy Capital LLC (GEC), an investment mana adviso1 fom focused on the ener sector in emerging markets.5 19
¶The company oth e1wise had no sources of income, and Page was forced to draw down his life savings to support himself and pursue his business venture. 52 1 Pa e asked Y atsenko to work with him at GEC as a senior advisor on a contin enc basis
¶In 2008, Page met Alexander Bulatov, a Russian government official who worked at the Russian Consulate in New York. 523 Pa elater learned that Bulatov was a Russian intelli ence
¶524 officer,. . . . .
¶In 2013, Victor Podobnyy, another Russian intelligence officer working covertly in the United States under diplomatic cover, fonned a relationship with Page. 525 Podobnyy met Page at an energy symposium in New York City and began exchanging emails with him. 526 Podobnyy and Page also met in person on multiple occasions, during which Page offered his outlook on the future of the energy industry and provided documents to Podobnyy about the energy business. 527 In a recorded conversation on April 8, 2013, Podobnyy told another intelligence officer that Page was interested in business opportunities in Russia. 528 In Podobnyy's words, Page "got hooked on
97¶Gazprom thinking that if they have a project, he could . . . rise up. Maybe he can. . . . [I]t's obvious that he wants to earn lots of money."529 Buryakov Complaint. Podobnyy said that he had led Page on by "feed[ing] him empty promises" that Podobnyy would use his Russian business connections to help Page.530 Buryakov Complaint. Podobnyy told the other intelligence officer that his method of recruiting foreign sources was to promise them favors and then discard them once he obtained relevant information from them.531 Buryakov Complaint.
¶In 2015, Podobnyy and two other Russian intelligence officers were charged with conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.532 See Buryakov Complaint; see also Indictment, United States v. Buryakov, 1:15-cr-73 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 9, 2015), Doc. 10; [Redacted: (b) (3)] The criminal complaint detailed Podobnyy's interactions with and conversations about Page, who was identified only as "Male-1."533 Buryakov Complaint ¶¶ 32-34; [Redacted: (b) (3)] Based on the criminal complaint's description of the interactions, Page was aware that he was the individual described as "Male-1."534 [Redacted: (b) (3)] Page later spoke with a Russian government official at the United Nations General Assembly and identified himself so that the official would understand he was "Male-1" from the Podobnyy complaint.535 Page 3/16/17 302, at 4; [Redacted: (b) (3)] Page told the official that he "didn't do anything" [Redacted: (b) (3)] .536
¶In interviews with the FBI before the Office's opening, Page acknowledged that he understood that the individuals he had associated with were members of the Russian intelligence services, but he stated that he had only provided immaterial non-public information to them and that he did not view this relationship as a backchannel.537 Page 3/30/17 302, at 6; Page 3/31/17 302, at 1. Page told investigating agents that "the more immaterial non-public information I give them, the better for this country."538 Page 3/31/17 302, at 1.
Origins of and Early Campaign Work
¶In January 2016, Page began volunteering on an informal, unpaid basis for the Trump Campaign after Ed Cox, a state Republican Party official, introduced Page to Trump Campaign officials.539 Page 3/16/17 302, at 1; [Redacted: (b) (3)] Page told the Office that his goal in working on the Campaign was to help candidate Trump improve relations with Russia.540 Page 3/10/17 302, at 2. To that end, Page emailed Campaign officials offering his thoughts on U.S.-Russia relations, prepared talking points and briefing memos on Russia, and proposed that can didate Trnmp meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.541 See, e.g. , 1/30/ 16 Email, Page to Glassner et al. ; 3/ 17/ 16 Email, Page to Clovis (attaching a "President's Daily Brief' prepared by Page that discussed the "severe de radation of U.S.-Russia relations following Washington's meddling" in Ukraine);~ ~
98¶In communications with Campaign officials, Page also repeatedly touted his high-level contacts in Russia and his ability to forge connections between candidate Tnnnp and senior Russian governmental officials. For example, on Janua1y 30, 2016, Page sent an email to senior Campaign officials stating that he had "spent the past week in Europe and ha[d] been in discussions with some individuals with close ties to the Kremlin" who recognized that Tnnnp could have a "game-changing effect .. . in bringing the end of the new Cold War."542 1/30/ 16 Email, Page to Glassner et al. The email stated that " [t]hrough [his] discussions with these high level contacts," Page believed that "a direct meeting in Moscow between Mr[.] Tnnnp and Putin could be aITan ed."543 1/30/ 16 Email, Page to Glassner et al. Pa e closed the email b criticizin U.S. sanctions on Russia.544 1/30/ 16 Email, Page to Glassner et al.
¶On March 21, 2016, can didate Tnnnp fo1mally and publicly identified Page as a member of his foreign policy team to advise on Russia and the energy sector.546 A Transcript of Donald · · shington Post Editorial Board, Washington Post (Mar. 21, 2016); Over the next several months, Page continued providing policy-related work product to Campaign officials. For example, in April 2016, Page provided feedback on an outline for a foreign policy speech that the candidate gave at the Mayflower Hotel, 547 see Volume I, Section IV.A.4, infra. In May 2016, Page prepared an outline of an energy policy speech for the Campaign and then traveled to Bismarck, North Dakota, to watch the can didate deliver the speech .548 [Redacted: (b) (3)] Chief policy advisor Sam Clovis expressed appreciation for Page's work and praised his work to other Campaign officials.549 See, e.g., 3/28/ 16 Email, Clovis to Lewandowski et al. (forwarding notes prepared by Page and stating, "I wanted to let you know the type of work some of our advisors are capable of.").
Carter Page's July 2016 Trip To Moscow
¶Page 's affiliation with the Tnnnp Campaign took on a higher profile and drew the attention of Russian officials after the can didate named him a foreign policy advisor. As a result, in late April 2016, Page was invited to give a speech at the July 2016 commencement ceremony at the
99¶New Economic School (NES) in Moscow.550 Page 3/16/17 302, at 2-3; Page 3/10/17 302, at 3. The NES commencement ceremony generally featured high-profile speakers; for example, President Barack Obama delivered a commencement address at the school in 2009.551 S. Weber 7/28/17 302, at 3. NES officials told the Office that the interest in inviting Page to speak at NES was based entirely on his status as a Trump Campaign advisor who served as the candidate's Russia expert.552 Y. Weber 6/1/17 302, at 4-5; S. Weber 7/28/17 302, at 3. Andrej Krickovic, an associate of Page's and assistant professor at the Higher School of Economics in Russia, recommended that NES rector Shlomo Weber invite Page to give the commencement address based on his connection to the Trump Campaign.553 See Y. Weber 6/1/17 302, at 4; S. Weber 7/28/17 302, at 3. Denis Klimentov, an employee of NES, said that when Russians learned of Page's involvement in the Trump Campaign in March 2016, the excitement was palpable.554 De. Klimentov 6/9/17 302, at 2. Weber recalled that in summer 2016 there was substantial interest in the Trump Campaign in Moscow, and he felt that bringing a member of the Campaign to the school would be beneficial.555 S. Weber 7/28/17 302, at 3.
¶Page was eager to accept the invitation to speak at NES, and he sought approval from Trump Campaign officials to make the trip to Russia.556 See 5/16/16 Email, Page to Phares et al. (referring to submission of a "campaign advisor request form"). On May 16, 2016, while that request was still under consideration, Page emailed Clovis, J.D. Gordon, and Walid Phares and suggested that candidate Trump take his place speaking at the commencement ceremony in Moscow.557 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 5/16/16 Email, Page to Phares et al. On June 19, 2016, Page followed up again to request approval to speak at the NES event and to reiterate that NES "would love to have Mr. Trump speak at this annual celebration" in Page's place.558 6/19/16 Email, Page to Gordon et al. Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski responded the same day, saying, "If you want to do this, it would be out side [sic] of your role with the DJT for President campaign. I am certain Mr. Trump will not be able to attend."559 6/19/16 Email, Lewandowski to Page et al.
¶In early July 2016, Page traveled to Russia for the NES events. On July 5, 2016, Denis Klimentov, copying his brother, Dmitri Klimentov,560 Dmitri Klimentov is a New York-based public relations consultant. emailed Maria Zakharova, the Director of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Information and Press Department, about Page's visit and his connection to the Trump Campaign.561 7/5/16 Email, Klimentov to Zakharova (translated). Denis Klimentov said in the email that he wanted to draw the Russian government's attention to Page's visit in Moscow.562 7/5/16 Email, Klimentov to Zakharova (translated). His message to Zakharova continued: "Page is Tmmp's adviser on foreign policy. He is a known businessman; he used to work in Russia.. . . If you have any questions, I will be happy to help contact him."563 7/5/16 Email, Klimentov to Zakharova (translated). Dmitri Klimentov then contacted Russian Press Secretaiy Dmitiy Peskov about Page 's visit to see if Peskov wanted to inti·oduce Page to any Russian government officials.564 Dm. Klimentov 11/27/18 302, at 1-2. The following day, Peskov responded to what appears to have been the same Denis Klimentov-Zakharova email thread. Peskov wrote, "I have read about [Page]. Specialists say that he is far from being the main one. So I better not initiate a meeting in the Kremlin."565 7/6/16 Email, Peskov to Klimentov (translated).
100¶On July 7, 2016, Page delivered the first of his two speeches in Moscow at NES.566 Page 3/10/17 302, at 3. In the speech, Page criticized the U.S. government's foreign policy toward Russia, stating that "Washington an d other Western capitals have impeded potential progress through their often hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality, c01n1ption and regime change."567 See Ca1ter W. Page, The Lecture of Trump's Advisor Carter Page in Moscow, YouTube Channel Katehon Think Tank, Posted July 7, 2016, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch? time_continue=28&v=l CYF29saA9w. Page also provided the FBI with a copy of his speech and slides from the speech. See Cait er Page, "The Evolution of the World Economy: Trends and Potential," Speech at National Economic Speech (July 7, 2016). On July 8, 2016, Page delivered a speech during the NES commencement.568 Page 3/10/17 302, at 3. After Page delivered his commencement address, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and NES board member Arkady Dvorkovich spoke at the ceremony an d stated that the sanctions the United States had imposed on Russia had hmi the NES .569 Page and Dvorkovich shook hands at th e commencement ceremony, and Weber recalled that Dvorkovich made statements to Pa e about workin to ether in the future_s10
¶Page said that, during his time in Moscow, he met with friends and associates he knew from when he lived in Russia, including Andrey Baran ov, a fon ner Gazprom employee who had become the head of investor relations at Rosneft, a Russian energy company. 572 Page stated that he and Baranov talked about "immaterial non-public" infon nation.573 Page believed he and Baranov discussed Rosneft president Igor Sechin, and he thought Baranov might have mentioned the possibility of a sale of a stake in Rosneft in passing.574 Page recalled mentioning his involvement in the T111mp Campaign with Baranov, although he did not remember details of the conversation.575 Page also met with individuals from Tatneft, a Russian energy company, to discuss possible business deals, including having Page work as a consultant.576 Page 3/ 10/ 17 302, at 3; Page 3/30/ 17 302, at 7; Page 3/31/ 17 302, at 2. 5n [Redacted: (b) (3)] 7/8/16 Email, Page to Dahl & Gordon. 578 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 7/9/16 Email, Page to Clovis. 579 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 580 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 581 [Redacted: (b) (3)] 582 [Redacted: (b) (3)]
101¶On July 8, 2016, while he was in Moscow, Page emailed several Campaign officials and stated he would send "a readout soon regarding some incredible insights and outreach I've received from a few Russian legislators and senior members of the Presidential Administrntion here." 577 On July 9, 2016, Page emailed Clovis, writing in pe1tinent pait:
Russian Deputy Prime minister and NES boai·d member Arkady Dvorkovich also spoke before the event. In a private conversation, Dvorkovich expressed strong suppo1t for Mr. T111mp and a desire to work together towai·d devising better solutions in response to the vast range of cunent international problems. Based on feedback from a diverse atTay of other sources close to the Presidential Administration, it was readily apparent that this sentiment is widely held at all levels of government. 578
••• • • . . . . • . . 1• , 1 [Redacted: (b) (3)]
¶[Redacted: (b) (3)] lliil[Redacted: (b) (3)] lilllD) lJ)
¶The Office was unable to obtain additional evidence or testimony about who Page may ave met or communicated with in Moscow; thus, Page's activities in Russia-as described in his emails with the Campaign-were not fully explained.
102575 [Redacted: (b) (3)] Page 3/30/ 17 302, at 3.
Later Campaign Work and Removal from the Campaign
¶In July 2016, after returning from Russia, Page traveled to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.583 Page 3/ 10/ 17 302, at 4; Page 3/16/ 17 302, at 3. While there, Page met Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak; that interaction is described in Volume I, Section IV.A.6.a, infra.584 Page 3/ 10/ 17 302, at 4; Page 3/16/ 17 302, at 3. 7/23/ 16 Email, Page to Clovis; 7/25/ 16 Email, 586 [Redacted: (b) (3)] Page later emailed Campaign officials with feedback he said he received from ambassadors he had met at the Convention, and he wrote that Ambassador Kisl ak was ve1 woITied about candidate Clinton 's world views.585
¶Following th e Convention, Page's trip to Moscow and his advocacy for pro-Russia foreign policy drew the media's attention and began to generate substantial press coverage. The Campaign responded by distancing itself from Page, describing him as an "infon nal foreign policy advisor" who did "not speak for Mr. Trnmp or the campaign."587 See, e.g., Steven Mufson & Tom Hamburger, Trump Advisor's Public Comments, Ties to Moscow Stir Unease in Both Parties, Washington Post (Aug. 5, 2016). On September 23 , 2016, Yahoo! News repo1ied that U.S. intelligence officials were investigating whether Page had opened private communications with senior Russian officials to discuss U.S . san ctions policy under a possible Trnmp Administration.588 Michael Isikoff, US. Intel Officials Probe Ties Between Trump Adviser and Kremlin, Yahoo! News (Sept. 23, 2016). A Campaign spokesman told Yahoo! News that Page had "no role" in the Campaign an d that the Campaign was "not aware of any of his activities, past or present."589 Michael Isikoff, US. Intel Officials Probe Ties Between Trump Adviser and Kremlin, Yahoo! News (Sept. 23 , 2016); see also 9/25/ 16 Email, Hicks to Conway & Bannon (instrncting that inquiries about Page should be answered with "[h]e was announced as an infonnal adviser in March. Since then he has had no role or official contact with the campaign. We have no knowledge of activities past or present and he now officially has been removed from all lists etc."). On September 24, 2016, Page was fo1m ally removed from the Campaign.590 Page 3/ 16/ 17 302, at 2; see, e.g., 9/23/ 16 Email, J. Miller to Bannon & S. Miller (discussing plans to remove Page from the campaign). "Transition Online Fo1m ," 11/ 14/ 16 - Printout, "Transition Online Fo1m," 11/ 14/ 16
¶Alth ough Page had been removed from the Campaign , after the election he sought a position in the Tnunp Administration.591 On November 14, 2016, he subinitted an application to the Transition Team that inflated his credentials and experiences, stating that in his capacity as a Tnunp Campaign foreign policy advisor he had met with "top world leaders" an d "effectively responded to diplomatic outreach efforts from senior government officials in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, [and] the Americas." 592 Page received no response from the Transition Team. When Page took a personal trip to Moscow in December 2016, he met again with at least one Russian government official. That interaction and a discussion of the December ti·ip are set fo1th in Volume I, Section IV.B .6, infra.
103