Russia's Best Friend in India Just Got a $300 Billion Deal From Trump

Oct 12

A Peace Talk With an Oil Deal Inside The Ukraine peace talks now include the sale of Lukoil's foreign assets, valued at about $20 billion. The bidders include business partners of the Kushner and Witkoff families. The New York Times reported on October 3 that Vladimir Putin raised the sale of Luko...Read more

A Peace Talk With an Oil Deal Inside The Ukraine peace talks now include the sale of Lukoil's foreign assets, valued at about $20 billion. The bidders include business partners of the Kushner and Witkoff families. The New York Times reported on October 3 that Vladimir Putin raised the sale of Lukoil's foreign oil fields, refineries and gas stations at a September 5 Kremlin meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The sale needs approval from Washington and Moscow. The assets are valued at about $20 billion. The US sanctioned Lukoil in October 2025. The bidding group includes Todd Boehly, who has given $2 million to pro-Trump political entities, and the US International Development Finance Corporation. It also includes Qatar's Al-Khayyat brothers, Kushner and Ivanka Trump's partners on a resort project in Albania, and a fund controlled by the UAE's Sheikh Tahnoon. A Tahnoon-backed firm bought 49% of World Liberty Financial for $500 million in January 2025, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Times found no indication that Witkoff or Kushner would personally profit. On October 8 Zelensky said Russian strikes had killed 78 people in two days. On October 9 rival bidder Carlyle dropped out. Read the October 9 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272 Secondary links Reuters, US-Russia talks on Ukraine involve multi-billion dollar oil deal, Oct 3 2026 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2026/10/03/us-russia-talks-on-ukraine-involve-multi-billion-dollar-oil-deal-nyt-reports Meduza, Lukoil's foreign asset sale becomes part of US-Russia talks, Oct 5 2026 https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/05/lukoil-s-foreign-asset-sale-becomes-part-of-u-s-russia-talks-on-ending-ukraine-war-nyt-reports Bibliography New York Times, Kushner, Witkoff and the Russia oil deal, October 3 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/us/politics/kushner-witkoff-russia-oil-deal.html Disha Mishra, Reuters via The Star, US-Russia talks on Ukraine involve multi-billion dollar oil deal, NYT reports, October 3 2026 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2026/10/03/us-russia-talks-on-ukraine-involve-multi-billion-dollar-oil-deal-nyt-reports Tymur Dubovyk, Kyiv Post, US-Russia Peace Talks Eye Multibillion Lukoil Oil Deal, October 3 2026 https://www.kyivpost.com/post/86038 Meduza, Lukoil's foreign asset sale becomes part of US-Russia talks on ending Ukraine war, October 5 2026 https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/05/lukoil-s-foreign-asset-sale-becomes-part-of-u-s-russia-talks-on-ending-ukraine-war-nyt-reports Edith Olmsted, The New Republic, October 5 2026 https://newrepublic.com/post/216200/jared-kushner-russia-ukraine-peace-deal-business Pavlo Kot, Traders Union citing the Financial Times, Todd Boehly consortium challenges Carlyle for Lukoil international assets, September 22 2026 https://tradersunion.com/news/financial-news/show/3439836-boehly-consortium-challenges-carlyle-lukoil-assets/ Zack Abrams, The Block citing the Wall Street Journal, UAE Sheikh secretly acquired 49% of Trump's World Liberty Financial, February 1 2026 https://www.theblock.co/post/387931/uae-sheikh-secretly-acquired-49-of-trumps-world-liberty-financial-days-before-inauguration-wsj Jared Kushner, The Facts, My Response to The New Yorker, October 8 2026 https://jaredkushner.com/posts/new-yorker-response/ Reuters via TimesLIVE, Zelensky accuses US of inaction as Russian strikes kill 78, October 8 2026 https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-10-08-zelensky-accuses-us-of-inaction-as-russian-strikes-kill-78/ Vladimir Afanasiev, Upstream, Carlyle drops plan to buy Lukoil's foreign assets, October 9 2026 https://www.upstreamonline.com/politics/carlyle-drops-plan-to-buy-lukoils-foreign-assets/2-1-2056695 US Treasury, Treasury Sanctions Major Russian Oil Companies, October 22 2025 https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0290 Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 9 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272

Oct 12

Dodik's Washington Payroll The two men running Trump's main super PAC advised Putin ally Milorad Dodik's government before Bosnia's October 4 election, the New York Times reports. Republika Srpska has paid Trump-connected operatives more than $4 million. James Blair, who stepped back from his job ...Read more

Dodik's Washington Payroll The two men running Trump's main super PAC advised Putin ally Milorad Dodik's government before Bosnia's October 4 election, the New York Times reports. Republika Srpska has paid Trump-connected operatives more than $4 million. James Blair, who stepped back from his job as deputy White House chief of staff to lead MAGA Inc., and Chris LaCivita, MAGA Inc.'s senior adviser, spent the last days before Bosnia's October 4 election advising Republika Srpska's government. Each was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars through a Washington law firm retained by that government, the New York Times reported. Axios reported they spent about 48 hours advising on election integrity. Dodik met Putin in Moscow on September 29. Justice Department filings cited by Al Jazeera show Republika Srpska has paid Trump-connected lobbyists and operatives more than $4 million since the start of 2025. CBS News verified a photo of Katie Wiles, daughter of chief of staff Susie Wiles, holding a rifle beside Srpska's interior minister. Her firm, Continental Strategy, is a registered foreign agent for Republika Srpska and says her trip was for another client. Trump first said he would terminate Blair and LaCivita if there was a conflict, then said they have none. Read the October 9 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272 Secondary links Axios, Trump threatens GOP strategists over work for Russia-aligned Bosnia government, Oct 7 2026 https://www.axios.com/2026/10/07/trump-midterm-advisers-foreign-consulting-lacivita-blair CBS News, Photo shows top Trump aide's daughter with pro-Russia politician in Bosnia, Oct 8 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-trump-susie-wiles-milorad-dodik-bosnia-serbia Bibliography New York Times, Trump advisers and Republika Srpska, October 6 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/us/politics/trump-advisers-republika-srpska.html Josephine Walker and Marc Caputo, Axios, Trump threatens GOP strategists over work for Russia-aligned Bosnia government, October 7 2026 https://www.axios.com/2026/10/07/trump-midterm-advisers-foreign-consulting-lacivita-blair Emmet Lyons, Joanne Stocker and Archie Clarke, CBS News, Photo shows top Trump aide's daughter with pro-Russia politician in Bosnia, October 8 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-trump-susie-wiles-milorad-dodik-bosnia-serbia Armin Aljovic, Al Jazeera, What were Trump operatives doing for pro-Russian politician Dodik in Bosnia?, October 8 2026 https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/10/8/what-were-trump-operatives-doing-for-pro-russian-politician-dodik-in-bosnia Shelby Talcott and Eleanor Mueller, Semafor, Trump-tied firm helped organize political advisers' Balkans travel, October 8 2026 https://www.semafor.com/article/10/08/2026/trump-tied-firm-helped-organize-political-advisers-balkans-travel FARA Exhibit A and B, Continental Strategy, registration 7545, February 16 2026 https://efile.fara.gov/docs/7545-Exhibit-AB-20260216-14.pdf Donald Trump, Truth Social post, October 7 2026 (archive) https://www.trumpstruth.org/statuses/42192 Brussels Signal, Bosnia preliminary election results, October 5 2026 https://brusselssignal.eu/2026/10/nationalist-parties-tighten-grip-on-bosnia-as-dodik-claims-victory-off-the-ballot/ European Western Balkans, Dodik meets Putin in Moscow, September 30 2026 https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2026/09/30/dodik-meets-putin-in-moscow-2/ RFE/RL, US removes Dodik from sanctions list, October 29 2025 https://www.rferl.org/a/us-pro-russian-bosnian-serb-dodik-sanctions-list/33576314.html Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 9 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272

Oct 12

Four Days in Wyoming A company run by Jesse Binnall and Michael Flynn's brother was incorporated four days after a US embassy push and written into Bosnian law as lead investor on a pipeline deal worth more than $1 billion. On November 20, 2025, the top US diplomat in Sarajevo met Federation coali...Read more

Four Days in Wyoming A company run by Jesse Binnall and Michael Flynn's brother was incorporated four days after a US embassy push and written into Bosnian law as lead investor on a pipeline deal worth more than $1 billion. On November 20, 2025, the top US diplomat in Sarajevo met Federation coalition leaders about an American company to develop, build and manage the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline. On November 24, AAFS Infrastructure and Energy LLC was incorporated in Wyoming. It is run by Jesse Binnall, who argued Trump's 2020 Nevada election contest and represents Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Joseph Flynn, brother of Michael Flynn. In April 2026 the Federation parliament named AAFS lead investor. Transparency International Bosnia said the change eliminates any possibility of competition. A September 15 report led by Rep. Bill Keating values the projects tied to AAFS at more than $1 billion and calls the pipeline and the October 2025 lifting of sanctions on Milorad Dodik two corrupt decisions. That October, Michael Flynn was paid $100,000 for a month of lobbying for Dodik's government through Rod Blagojevich's firm. The State Department calls the investor choice a sovereign Bosnian decision. Read the October 9 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272 Secondary links Pay for Play in the Balkans, Keating report, Sept 15 2026 https://keating.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/keating-evo.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/keating-bosnia-report.pdf CBS News, Democrats cry foul as US lifts sanctions on Serb nationalist, Oct 7 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-us-bosnia-herzegovina-sanctions-dodik-maga-firm-gas-pipeline/ Bibliography Rep. Bill Keating and House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats, Pay for Play in the Balkans, September 15 2026 https://keating.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/keating-evo.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/keating-bosnia-report.pdf Rep. Bill Keating press release, September 15 2026 https://keating.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/keating-report-reveals-trump-admins-corrupt-policies-bosnia-and Emmet Lyons and Joanne Stocker, CBS News, Democrats cry foul as US lifts sanctions on Serb nationalist, MAGA-linked firm gets huge Bosnia energy contract, October 7 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-us-bosnia-herzegovina-sanctions-dodik-maga-firm-gas-pipeline/ Jasmin Mujanović, Just Security, Pay for Play? Trump's Bosnia Moves Highlighted in US House Probe, September 18 2026 https://www.justsecurity.org/157637/trump-bosnia-deal-us-house-report/ Predrag Zvijerac and Gjeraqina Tuhina, RFE/RL, EU Warns Bosnia US Gas Project Could Threaten 1 Billion Euros In Aid, April 25 2026 https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-bosnia-gas-pipeline-us-investor-aid/33741747.html Transparency International BiH press release, March 30 2026 https://ti-bih.org/ti-bih-warns-appointment-of-investor-through-amendments-to-the-southern-interconnection-law-sets-a-dangerous-precedent/?lang=en N1, FBiH Parliament confirms US consortium's lead in Southern Interconnection pipeline, April 15 2026 https://n1info.ba/english/news/fbih-parliament-confirms-us-consortiums-lead-in-southern-interconnection-pipeline/ N1, FBiH coalition commits to American pipeline proposal, November 20 2025 https://n1info.ba/english/news/us-lng-route-fbih-coalition-commits-to-american-pipeline-proposal/ RFE/RL, US removes Dodik from sanctions list, October 29 2025 https://www.rferl.org/a/us-pro-russian-bosnian-serb-dodik-sanctions-list/33576314.html Anna Bower, Lawfare, US government agrees to $1.25 million settlement in Michael Flynn suit, April 17 2026 https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/u.s.-government-agrees-to--1.25-million-settlement-in-michael-flynn-suit Federal Election Commission, Save America disbursements to Binnall Law Group https://www.fec.gov/data/disbursements/?committee_id=C00762591&recipient_name=binnall Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 9 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272

Oct 12

Honey Please Six days before her confirmation hearing, Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle sent a Trump donor instructions for paying $100,000 on her American Express card, the Wall Street Journal reports. On July 3, 2025, Kimberly Guilfoyle texted retired Kentucky lawyer Eric Deters "Honey please I nee...Read more

Honey Please Six days before her confirmation hearing, Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle sent a Trump donor instructions for paying $100,000 on her American Express card, the Wall Street Journal reports. On July 3, 2025, Kimberly Guilfoyle texted retired Kentucky lawyer Eric Deters "Honey please I need you to get this done for me today," attaching American Express payment instructions, according to messages reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. On Signal she wrote, "It won't show up anywhere if you wire money to American Express." Her Senate confirmation hearing was July 9. Deters says he paid Guilfoyle $300,000 in speaking fees over several years, plus $200,000 to Donald Trump Jr. and $100,000 to Eric Trump. After the 2024 election he sought her help with tax and legal problems and promised up to $1 million for results. She forwarded him the messages she had sent IRS commissioner Billy Long. Deters did not pay and told CBS News, "It was quid pro quo." Guilfoyle calls the accusation completely false. Her lawyer, Jesse Binnall, says she disputes the authenticity of the messages. Read the October 9 edition of American Princelings at dekleptocracy.substack.com Featured link https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272 Secondary links Wall Street Journal, Honey Please, Oct 7 2026 https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/guilfoyle-amex-donor-100-000-0e02cdc3 CBS News, Guilfoyle associate says it was quid pro quo, Oct 9 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kimberly-guilfoyle-greece-ambassador-eric-deters-texts-100000/ Bibliography Dana Mattioli, Drew Hinshaw, Rebecca Ballhaus and Joe Parkinson, Wall Street Journal, 'Honey Please' Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account, October 7 2026 https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/guilfoyle-amex-donor-100-000-0e02cdc3 Same Wall Street Journal story as republished by To Vima, October 8 2026 https://www.tovima.com/wsj/honey-please-kimberly-guilfoyle-pushed-donor-to-wire-100000-to-her-amex-account/ Anna Schecter, Kathryn Watson and Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, Kimberly Guilfoyle associate says when she asked him for $100K it was quid pro quo, October 9 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kimberly-guilfoyle-greece-ambassador-eric-deters-texts-100000/ Matthew Lee, Kathimerini and AP, Rubio refuses to comment on new Guilfoyle allegations, October 8 2026 https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1317575/rubio-refuses-to-comment-on-new-guilfoyle-allegations/ Kevin Liptak, CNN, Vance signals discomfort after report alleges ambassador sought funds for access, October 8 2026 https://kioncentralcoast.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/08/i-dont-love-that-vance-signals-discomfort-after-report-alleges-ambassador-sought-funds-for-access-to-trump-administration/ Laura Kelly and Mallory Wilson, The Hill, Kimberly Guilfoyle access allegations add to spotlight on Trump advisers, October 9 2026 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6137801-kimberly-guilfoyle-money-access-trump-advisers/ Amna Nawaz, PBS NewsHour, GOP donor who accused Guilfoyle of corruption speaks out, October 9 2026 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/it-was-a-definite-quid-pro-quo-gop-donor-who-accused-guilfoyle-of-corruption-speaks-out Wall Street Journal via To Vima, Democrats Call for Probe Into Kimberly Guilfoyle's Conduct, October 2 2026 https://www.tovima.com/wsj/democrats-call-for-probe-into-kimberly-guilfoyles-conduct/ Dekleptocracy, American Princelings, October 9 2026 https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/american-princelings-272

Oct 1

Texas Oilmen Are Buying a Racist Regulator Billionaire Tim Dunn's company is suing the Texas Railroad Commission over new oilfield waste rules. PACs Dunn funds have put more than $1,000,000 behind Bo French, the candidate who promises to abolish them. The racist posts made the headlines. The purcha...Read more

Texas Oilmen Are Buying a Racist Regulator Billionaire Tim Dunn's company is suing the Texas Railroad Commission over new oilfield waste rules. PACs Dunn funds have put more than $1,000,000 behind Bo French, the candidate who promises to abolish them. The racist posts made the headlines. The purchase did not. Read and subscribe at https://dekleptocracy.substack.com Source article https://dekleptocracy.substack.com/p/texas-oilmen-are-buying-a-racist