"Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the European leader who made the remark at a conclave of Portugal's Social Democratic party, was clear and nuanced about what he meant. He emphasized that he was not calling Trump a Russian "agent," as some conspiracy theorists have speculated. Rather, he said, "the supreme leader of the world's largest superpower is objectively a Soviet or Russian asset," in the sense that he "has strategically benefited the Russian Federation" and thus "operates" as a Russian "asset.""
"Scholars and denizens of espionage make the same distinction. An agent is a paid and witting spy; he formally, sometimes covertly, works for a foreign government. By contrast, an asset might serve a foreign government without even knowing that he's doing so. This type of asset is sometimes called a dupe or a useful idiot. De Sousa made his remarks not long after Trump's summit last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska,"
The president of Portugal called Donald Trump a Russian asset, meaning Trump has strategically benefited the Russian Federation and operates as an asset without being a paid agent. The president clarified he did not mean 'agent' in the spy sense. Scholars distinguish agents as paid, witting spies and assets as persons who may serve a foreign government unknowingly, sometimes called dupes or useful idiots. The remark followed Trump's Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, where Putin opposed a Ukraine ceasefire and Trump, despite threatening consequences, shrugged, smiled, and treated Putin with high regard. European officials expressed dismay at Trump's admiration for Putin and his reluctance to punish Russia.
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