Donald Trump’s presidency could be finished by Russia investigations, former NSA analyst says

Donald Trump could be forced to leave office over the investigations into his administration’s links with Russia, a former national National Security Agency (NSA) analyst has warned.

John Schindler, a security expert and former counterintelligence officer, said that if the US President was to face an indictment over allegations his campaign team colluded with Russia to disrupt the presidential election, it could put an end to his presidency.

Speaking to CBC radio, Mr Schindler said: “If, not just people around him, but the president himself is facing possible indictment down the road, that could be a game changer. He could be removed from office for that, whether he wants to be or not.”

Mr Schindler said that with the FBI investigation, actions by Congress and a possible independent inquiry, Mr Trump and his team’s alleged ties to Russia would “inevitably” be made public.

“The administration isn’t getting away from this story,” he said.

It comes after FBI director James Comey’s confirmed the Bureau was looking into both Russia’s alleged interference with the 2016 election and also possible links between Moscow and members of Mr Trump’s campaign team.

Other congressional committees also are investigating a possible Russian connection mostly behind closed doors.

But there have also been suggestions the investigation could lead nowhere.

Carl Bernstein, one of the journalists who broke the Watergate scandal, claimed the US President was involved in a “cover up” to hide connections between members of his campaign team and Russia.

Responding to these concerns, Mr Schindler said it was “possible” the investigation could come to a dead end and added: “Trump, by inclination, doubles down, triples down, quintuples down at every opportunity.”

Mr Trump’s former election campaign manager, Paul Manafort, who was accused of once working to further the interests of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is now a leading focus of the investigation by American intelligence.

Mr Manafort volunteered to testify as part of the investigation and he is expected to be interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee, the panel’s chairman has said.

For Mr Schindler, the fact Mr Manafort is willing to testify shows he knows he is facing some very serious federal charges and “wants to clear the air”.

He said: “It tells me that Trump’s whole defence is one member of his inner circle away from turning state’s evidence and spilling some beans and it starts to be all over. We’re not there yet. But I think that day’s coming.”