Donald Trump offered Julian Assange a ‘win-win’ deal to avoid extradition, court hears

Donald Trump offered Julian Assange a ‘win-win’ deal to avoid extradition if he disclosed the source behind leaked Democratic party emails, a court heard today.

Jennifer Robinson, one the lawyer’s representing the WikiLeaks founder, said Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Trump associate Charles Johnson acted as conduits for the President to tout an arrangement.

They said Assange, 49, would be left alone to ‘get on with his life’ if he revealed the DNC hacking source, which was of ‘value’ to Mr Trump, Ms Robinson claimed.

Assange is fighting extradition to the US following the leaks of hundreds of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011.

At his extradition hearing at the Old Bailey today, Ms Robinson made a statement in which she recalled a meeting with the pair on August 15, 2017 at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where Assange was holed up until being turfed out last year.

Julian Assange (pictured in April 2019) is fighting extradition to the US following the leaks of hundreds of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011 

Donald Trump (pictured speaking during a rally in Wisconsin yesterday) offered Julian Assange a ‘win-win’ deal to avoid extradition if he disclosed the source behind leaked Democratic party emails, a court heard today

Jennifer Robinson, one of the lawyer’s representing Assange, made a statement to the Old Bailey today (pictured last week)

She said: ‘They stated that President Trump was aware of and had approved of them coming to meet with Mr Assange to discuss a proposal – and that they would have an audience with the president to discuss the matter on their return to Washington DC.

‘Congressman Rohrabacher explained he wanted to resolve the ongoing speculation about Russian involvement in the Democratic National Committee leaks to WikiLeaks, which were published by WikiLeaks and other media organisations in 2016.

‘He stated that he regarded the ongoing speculation as damaging to US-Russian relations, that it was reviving Cold War politics, and that it would be in the best interests of the US if the matter could be resolved.

‘He and Mr Johnson also explained that any information from Mr Assange about the source of the DNC leaks would be of interest, value and assistance to Mr Trump.’

Ms Robinson said Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (pictured) and Trump associate Charles Johnson acted as conduits for the President to tout an arrangement

Ms Robinson said Mr Rohrabacher said he had come to London to talk to Assange about ‘what might be necessary to get him out’ and presented him with a ‘win-win situation’ which would allow him to leave the embassy and ‘get on with his life’ without fear of extradition to the US.

She said: ‘The proposal put forward by Congressman Rohrabacher was that Mr Assange identify the source for the 2016 election publications in return for some kind of pardon, assurance or agreement which would both benefit President Trump politically and prevent US indictment and extradition.

‘The meeting was concluded on the basis that Congressman Rohrabacher would return to have a direct conversation with President Trump about exactly what would be done to prevent Mr Assange’s indictment and extradition.’

The barrister added that Assange did not provide any source of information.

James Lewis QC, for the US government, said: ‘The position of the government is we don’t contest these things were said. We obviously do not accept the truth of what was said by others.’ 

He is facing 18 charges – including plotting to hack computers and conspiring to obtain and disclose national defence information.

The hearing continues.