Assange lawyer: Trump offered deal over extradition

A lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told a London court on Friday her client was indirectly offered a “win-win” deal by President Donald Trump which would see him avoid extradition to US if he revealed source of a leak of documents from Democratic Party before 2016 election.

Assange, who didn't reveal source of leak of Democratic National Committee emails, is fighting efforts by US to extradite him to face an array of charges related to his work at WikiLeaks.

Jennifer Robinson, who has represented WikiLeaks for a decade, relayed to court Friday via a written statement that her client had been made an offer at a meeting on August 15, 2017, with former Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Trump associate Charles Johnson.

In her statement that was read out at London's Criminal Court, Robinson said pair “wanted us to believe y were acting on behalf of president” and that y had stated that Trump was “aware of and had approved of m coming to meet” with Assange to discuss proposal.

She also said pair said y would have an audience with president to discuss matter on ir return to Washington.

Robinson said Rohrabacher had said he had come to London to talk to Assange at his n-refuge at Ecuadorian Embassy about “what might be necessary to get him out,” presenting him with a “win-win situation” that would allow him to leave embassy and “get on with his life" without fear of being extradited to US.

US prosecutors have indicted 49-year-old Assange on 17 espion charges, and one of computer misuse, over WikiLeaks’ publication of secret US military documents a decade ago, largely around wars in Afghanistan and Iraq a decade ago.

Assange’s lawyers say prosecution is politically motivated and that he won’t receive a fair trial in United States.

y also argue that Assange was acting as a journalist entitled to First Amendment protection.