Donald Trump has spent much of the past four years musing about warmer ties with Russia. But explosive new allegations show that relations may only get worse. Top Democrats have demanded answers and even some Republicans have urged retaliation after reports, first published by The New York Times, that a Russian unit offered rewards to Taliban-linked militants to kill US-led forces in Afghanistan. The furor comes weeks after Trump again offered an olive branch to President Vladimir Putin, speaking of inviting him to an expanded summit of the Group of Seven, from which Russia was kicked out over its 2014 takeover of Crimea. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Washington, said that with Trump, “all roads lead to Putin.” Senator Cory Gardner, a Republican in a tight re-election bid, said he would push to declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism — a designation with far-reaching legal implications. Trump said he was not briefed on the Afghanistan charges. He has scoffed in the past at US intelligence, particularly its finding that Russia interfered to sway the 2016 election to him over Hillary Clinton. In one of the rare moments where he faced severe criticism within Republican ranks, Trump appeared to take Putin at his word during a 2018 summit that Russia did not meddle in the election.