What Did Trump Promise Putin? Ask His Interpreter.
In general, interpreters are bound by ethical and sometimes legal standards to maintain client/interpreter confidentiality, unless the law states otherwise.
This is now a hot button issue given that Trump recently decided to meet with Russian president Putin alone, with the exception of their interpreters. Since Trump’s campaign is under investigation for colluding with the Russians, AND he refuses to acknowledge what every American intelligence institution is stating regarding Russia’s influence during the 2016 election, Democrats are wondering what exactly was said during that private meeting.
Many people, including those who typically support Trump, are wondering why, after his private meeting with Putin, he blatantly refused to call Putin out for his involvement in the 2016 elections. Some have even called him a “traitor”, “Putin’s poodle” and even equated his behavior to “treason.”
Since Trump has an inclination to misstate facts, the only likely way to get the truth would be to ask the state’s English <> Russian interpreter Marina Gross, who has been traveling with American diplomats abroad for the last decade.
Representative Joe Kennedy III was the first to suggest questioning the interpreter in a tweet “Trump’s translator should come before Congress and testify as to what was said privately immediately.”
But is this allowed?
The revelation of personal conversations by interpreters is typically forbidden by organizational professional codes of conduct.
“In general, any information that’s confidential has to remain confidential even if you’re an interpreter. For example, attorney-client confidentiality extends to the interpreter,” American Translators Association spokeswoman Judy Jenner told The Hill. “But as a diplomatic interpreter, you are probably aware of how precarious things could possibly be.”
If the interpreter is subpoenaed, then by law that would trump Trump’s confidentiality privilege. It is strange that Trump refused to let any of his closest advisors into the room during the meeting, so if it’s the only way to learn the truth, then we have a right to pursue it for the sake of national security.
This was echoed by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) who stated she wants to call Ms. Gross to divulge what was said in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“That translator is an official of the U.S. government,” Shaheen stated to journalists on Tuesday. “It is imperative that the American people and this Congress know precisely what the president shared or promised the Kremlin on our behalf.”
If Trump has nothing to hide, he should be fine with the notion. I have a feeling he won’t be too keen on the idea, which should raise red flags. Lately, we are being inundated with red flags, and the only ones who are drowning are the people Trump is supposed to be serving instead of those who are intending to circumvent the law and their duties. There is no doubt that there is at least one person being served while Trump is in office, and that is himself.
-Jasper Jancik
Contact Spot On Interpreting at 855-562-7768 for your interpretation and/or translation needs and we’d be glad to help.
