The Daily

The Outsize Life and Quiet Death of the Steele Dossier

Dec 13, 2021

Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times, delves into the controversial Steele dossier, originally crafted as opposition research on Donald Trump. He discusses its transformative impact on American politics and media narratives during Trump's presidency. The arrest of Igor Danchenko, a key source for the dossier, raises significant questions about its credibility. Schmidt critiques the media's role in amplifying unchecked allegations and explores the political ramifications of the dossier, shedding light on the complexities of journalism during this turbulent time.

45:01

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Episode guests

Michael Schmidt

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Unraveling the Steele Dossier

14min

Trump, Russia, and the Dossier Dilemma

10min

The Steele Dossier: Origins, Impact, and Cultural Reflections

2min

The Political Nexus of the Steele Dossier and Mueller Investigation

2min

Unpacking the Steele Dossier

12min

Reflections on the Steele Dossier and Journalistic Challenges

2min

Catastrophic Tornadoes and Rising COVID Concerns

4min

This episode contains strong language.

The Steele Dossier — compiled by Christopher Steele, a British former spy — was born out of opposition research on Donald J. Trump, then a presidential candidate, and his supposed links to Russia.

The document, full of salacious allegations, captured and cleaved America. But now, a main source of the dossier’s findings — Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst — has been charged with lying to federal investigators.

Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

Mr. Trump and his backers say revelations about the Steele dossier show the Russia investigation was a “hoax.” That is not what the facts indicate.

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