RAND PAUL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The White House pushed back against Sen. Rand Paul Wednesday [8-8-18] after the Kentucky Republican implied on Twitter that President Trump had asked him to deliver a letter of introduction to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Paul, who has been visiting Russia with a delegation for several days, said, ‘I was honored to deliver a letter from President Trump to President Vladimir Putin’s administration.’ The White House told Fox News that Paul asked Trump to write a letter of introduction to the Russian leader. While Trump obliged the senator and wrote the letter, the White House said the idea that Trump asked Paul to deliver the letter to Putin on Trump’s behalf is not true. According to the White House, the letter read: ‘I would like to introduce Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and a voice for expanding dialogue with the Russian Federation. He will be in Moscow from August 5 to August 8…The senator met with members of the Russian parliament’s upper house who serve on the foreign affairs committee Monday [8-6-18]. Paul said he had invited them to Washington. There has been no indication that a Putin-Paul meeting will take place.”
–John Roberts, Samuel Chamberlain, “WH pushes back after Rand Paul suggests Trump asked him to deliver letter to Putin,” Fox News, August 8, 2018 10:45 am