Debunking the Myth: Was Donald Trump a KGB Asset Codenamed ‘Krasnov’?

A sensational rumor has recently resurfaced online, alleging that former U.S. President Donald Trump was secretly recruited by the Soviet Union’s KGB in the 1980s and given the codename "Krasnov." The claim, which paints Trump as a Russian asset, has sparked heated discussions across social media platforms, fueled by a mix of speculation and supposed "evidence." But a closer look reveals this tale to be little more than a baseless conspiracy theory.

Donald Trump with Ivana Trump in the 1980s—photos once cited as 'proof' of a debunked KGB recruitment rumor.

The rumor traces back to statements attributed to Alnur Mussayev, a former Soviet and Kazakh official who claimed insider knowledge from his time at the KGB. According to the story, Trump was recruited in 1987 during the height of the Cold War, with some pointing to old photographs of Trump alongside his then-wife Ivana as alleged proof of Soviet influence. One X user even compiled an extensive thread of circumstantial "evidence" to bolster the narrative, igniting further online debate.

However, fact-checking by Snopes has thoroughly debunked these claims. Mussayev, who touted his KGB credentials, actually left the agency in 1986—before the alleged recruitment took place—to join the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs. No credible documentation or testimony supports the notion that Trump was ever a KGB operative. The "Krasnov" codename appears to be pure fiction, lacking any substantiation in declassified records or historical accounts.

Despite the lack of evidence, the rumor has gained new life amid recent geopolitical shifts. Trump’s vocal criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House address, coupled with his administration’s apparent softening stance toward Russia, has reignited suspicions about his ties to Moscow. The U.S. foreign policy pivot was starkly illustrated last week when the United States, alongside Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and Israel, voted against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The vote, held on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, underscored a growing divide between the U.S. and its European allies.

Critics have seized on this development, with some dubbing it a "Trumputin Pact." Experts interviewed by Metro suggested that Russia may have "successfully flipped" the White House, pointing to the UN vote as evidence of a broader realignment. Sir Bill Browder, a prominent critic of the Kremlin, warned that Trump’s actions signal a willingness to pursue an unrestrained foreign policy. "If he is unrestrained when it comes to someone like Putin," Browder remarked, "why would he restrain himself on other areas of foreign policy which everybody had sort of laughed off as being outrageous? They may now very well be true." He referenced Trump’s past musings about annexing Greenland or seizing the Panama Canal as potential indicators of bolder moves to come.

While the "Krasnov" rumor remains a fabrication, it reflects deeper anxieties about U.S.-Russia relations under Trump’s influence. For now, the conspiracy serves as a reminder of how quickly misinformation can spread—and how real-world events can breathe new life into old myths.