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Who will be next after 'brave' Manafort pulls a U-turn on Trump?

The folding of Trump's former campaign chief is another sign of the increasing jeopardy the president faces.

Paul Manafort's mugshot photo after he was moved to Alexandria detention centre
Image: Paul Manafort's mugshot after he was moved to Alexandria detention centre
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We recently discovered just how angry Donald Trump was over the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate allegations of Russian meddling.

"The president erupted into uncontrollable anger, visibly agitated to a degree that no one in his inner circle had witnessed before. It was a harrowing experience," wrote journalist Bob Woodward in his explosive new book Fear.

Sixteen months on from that day, Mr Trump's own fears about what that investigation will do to his presidency continue to play out in a slow motion drama.

It is impossible to know exactly what information Paul Manafort has to share with Mueller after agreeing to cooperate with his investigation in a plea deal.

Former Trump campaign boss Paul Manafort reaches plea deal
Former Trump campaign boss Paul Manafort reaches plea deal

Paul Manafort reached a "co-operation agreement" and pleaded guilty to federal charges to avoid a second trial

But his folding is another sign of the increasing jeopardy the president faces and how vulnerabilities just keep on emerging in this saga.

Remember just three weeks ago, when Manafort stood convicted on bank and tax fraud, how Mr Trump lauded his decision not to flip.

"I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family," Trump tweeted.

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Prosecutors applied "tremendous pressure on him" he claimed, but Manafort "refused to "break" - make up stories in order to get a "deal." Such respect for a brave man!"

That came on the very day that Mr Trump's long-time lawyer Michael Cohen did "break" in a New York courtroom, and accused the president of breaking the law into the bargain.

Clearly loyalty was a big deal to Mr Trump. There was talk of a presidential pardon. The president even suggested it should be unlawful for defendants to do deals with prosecutors.

How things change.

The White House and Mr Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani have pointed out that Manafort's plea of guilty has "nothing to do" with the presidency or the campaign and they are correct.

But all of Manafort's crimes were Russia-related. He worked unpaid for five months at a pivotal time in Mr Trump's 2016 campaign and attended the notorious Trump Tower meeting with Russian lobbyists.

And it is that swirling cloud - always Russia shaped - that continues to draw in every suspicion and accusation and keep this scandal on the president's doorstep.

President Trump speaks to the news media about the conviction of Paul Manafort as he arrives in Charleston, USA
Image: President Trump praised his former campaign boss a few weeks ago

It has been reported that Mr Trump's legal team is quite relaxed about Manafort's change of heart, believing that there is very little he can tell Mueller's team.

But the convictions and guilty pleas make it all harder for the president to nail his claim that this is all a witch-hunt.

When the man you publicly praised for making a "brave" decision performs a public about-turn, it must make you wonder who else will desert your side.