In the mind-numbing press conference on Thursday, Trump retained his perfect score. He’s never criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin. Asked about expelling our diplomats from Russia, he sounded, even for him, ridiculously obsequious. “I want to thank him because we’re trying to cut down our payroll, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll,” Trump told reporters from his New Jersey golf club. “There’s no real reason for them to go back. I greatly appreciate the fact that we’ve been able to cut our payroll of the United States. We’re going to save a lot of money.”
This is appalling on many levels. First, it suggests Putin can take free swings at America because Trump will bend over backwards to invent excuses for his Russian soulmate. The statement signals abject weakness on Trump’s part, virtually inviting Putin and other adversaries to throw out our people. And, to boot, Trump is confused on the facts. The expelled diplomats remain employed by the U.S. government; we haven’t saved any money. Putin however has gained the upper hand (again) with Trump, raising a legitimate concern as to whether Putin “has something” on Trump.
“He has given Putin a pass to do what he will with official Americans in Moscow and he will be responsible for the consequences. It was an incredibly irresponsible thing to say.”
This is appalling on many levels. First, it suggests Putin can take free swings at America because Trump will bend over backwards to invent excuses for his Russian soulmate. The statement signals abject weakness on Trump’s part, virtually inviting Putin and other adversaries to throw out our people. And, to boot, Trump is confused on the facts. The expelled diplomats remain employed by the U.S. government; we haven’t saved any money. Putin however has gained the upper hand (again) with Trump, raising a legitimate concern as to whether Putin “has something” on Trump.
“He has given Putin a pass to do what he will with official Americans in Moscow and he will be responsible for the consequences. It was an incredibly irresponsible thing to say.”
