The relationship between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again become a focus of public interest. Background is a report by the "New York Times" ("NYT"). Accordingly, the FBI has investigated whether Trump is a Russian agent.

In an interview with his favorite broadcaster Fox News, Trump has now been directly confronted with the question of whether he currently works for Russia or has ever worked for Russia.

Trump then simply said that it was the "most offensive" question he had ever been asked. He did not give an answer to the question.

The presenter Jeanine Pirro, a friend of Trump's and a journalist for the US broadcaster Fox News, had asked him directly during the telephone interview: "Are you working or have you ever worked for Russia, Mr. President?"

The passage can be seen here in the video from minute 8.00:

In the US, the debate about whether the president was or may be a Russian agent is gaining momentum. Current trigger is the report of the "New York Times", according to which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated investigations in 2017 on this issue. The "NYT" itself writes: Whether Trump is a Russian agent, "is a question that hovers over his presidency for two years."

One day after the report of the "NYT" on the investigation of the FBI also reports the "Washington Post" ("WP") about oddities in the relationship of Trump to Russia. For example, Trump had carefully concealed the content of his talks with Putin himself from closest collaborators: there are no detailed records of five meetings with Putin over the past two years, the WP reports, citing current and former government officials.

In one case, the US president even took away the notes from his interpreter and forbade him to pass on the contents of the conversation.

Trump spoke of a "ridiculous" accusation, but did not expressly deny the report.

While most members of Trump's Republican party defended the president, stressing that he was a stiffer attitude toward Russia than his predecessor, Barack Obama, Republican senator Ted Cruz expressed doubts. Politicians of the Democrats demanded clarification.