25 times Trump was soft on Russia

25 times Trump was soft on Russia​

Analysis by Marshall Cohen, CNN
Updated 10:29 AM ET, Sun November 17, 2019

(CNN)President Donald Trump has an Achilles' heel when it comes to Russia.
Over the years, he's made no secret that he has a soft spot for the country and its authoritarian leader, President Vladimir Putin. Trump has proved that he is willing to reject widely held US foreign policy views and align himself with the Kremlin on everything from Russian interference in US elections to the war in Syria.
Trump's ties to Russians were so concerning that the FBI believed there was good reason to investigate potential collusion between his 2016 campaign and the Kremlin. Counterintelligence investigators also examined whether Trump himself was somehow a Russian asset. (Special counsel Robert Mueller did not establish a criminal conspiracy of collusion.)
In Trump's eyes, these allegations are proof of a conspiracy against him by Democratic lawmakers and other "deep state" enemies in the US government. He bombastically declared last year, "There's never been a president as tough on Russia as I have been."
But that claim is simply false, based on Trump's actions over the last few years. Here's a full breakdown of 25 occasions when Trump was soft on Russia or gave Putin a boost.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump talk during a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. 's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump talk during a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019.


Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump talk during a bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019.

Trump has repeatedly praised Putin​

While he was a private citizen, during his 2016 campaign and throughout his presidency, Trump has showered Putin with praise. He said Putin was "so nice," he called Putin a "strong leader" and said Putin has done "a really great job outsmarting our country." Trump also claimed he'd "get along very well" with Putin. Few, if any, Western leaders have echoed these comments.

Trump hired Manafort to run his campaign​

Trump raised eyebrows in spring 2016 when he hired GOP operative Paul Manafort to run his presidential campaign. Manafort spent a decade working for pro-Russian politicians and parties in Ukraine and cultivated close relationships with Putin-friendly oligarchs. Manafort is currently in prison for, among other things, evading taxes on the $60 million he made from his Ukraine consulting.

Trump suggested Russia can keep Crimea​

Trump said Putin did "an amazing job of taking the mantle" when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. During the presidential campaign, Trump broke with US policy and suggested he was OK if Russia kept the Ukrainian territory. He repeated a Kremlin talking point, saying, "The people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were."

Trump's team softened the GOP platform on Ukraine​

Ahead of the 2016 Republican National Convention, Trump campaign aides blocked language from the party platform that called for the US government to send lethal weapons to Ukraine for its war against Russian proxies. Mueller investigated this for potential collusion but determined the change was not made "at the behest" of Russia. (The Trump administration ultimately gave lethal arms and anti-tank weapons to the Ukrainian military.)

Trump made light of Russian hacking​

Throughout the 2016 campaign, Trump cast doubt on the US government assessment that Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman. At a news conference in July 2016, he even asked Russia to hack more, saying, "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,"

Trump denied that Russia interfered in 2016​

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, the CIA, the National Security Agency, the Justice Department and the Senate Intelligence Committee all confirmed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump. But Trump has repeatedly rejected this view, and publicly sided with Putin at the Helsinki summit in 2018, saying he accepted Putin's denials.

Trump transition undermined Russian sanctions​

After the election, the Trump transition team asked Russia not to retaliate against new US sanctions imposed by then-President Barack Obama. The sanctions were meant to punish Russia for interfering in the election, but then-Trump aide Michael Flynn asked the Russian ambassador not to escalate the situation so they could have a good relationship once Trump took over.

Trump was open to lifting Russian sanctions​

Days before his inauguration, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he was open to lifting sanctions on Russia. He said: "If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody's doing some really great things?" Putin has tried for years to persuade the US and European countries to end crippling sanctions on Russia's economy.

Trump refused to say Putin is a killer​

Bucking other US leaders, Trump has dismissed credible allegations that Putin uses violence against his opponents. Trump said in 2015, "I think it would be despicable if that took place, but I haven't seen any evidence that he killed anybody, in terms of reporters." Asked again in February 2017, Trump deflected, saying, "There are a lot of killers. Do you think our country is so innocent?"

Trump mulled giving spy compounds to Russia​

The Washington Post reported in May 2017 that the Trump administration considered returning two diplomatic compounds to Russia. The Obama administration expelled Russian diplomats and seized the compounds in New York and Maryland after the 2016 election, claiming they were used for "intelligence" purposes. The compounds were never returned to Russia.

Trump gave Russia classified intelligence​

President Trump with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office


President Trump with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office
In a shocking move during the early months of his presidency, Trump shared highly classified intelligence with two senior Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting in May 2017. The intelligence, which was about ISIS, was sensitive enough that it could have exposed a vulnerable source. The unplanned disclosure by Trump rattled even many of his Republican allies.

Trump was reluctant to sign Russian sanctions​

Lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill in July 2017 imposing new sanctions against Russia, even though Trump administration officials reportedly tried to water down the language. Trump reluctantly signed the bill, but said the new law contained "clearly unconstitutional provisions." Trump had little choice in the matter because the bill had passed with veto-proof majorities. (The Treasury Department followed up with several rounds of hard-hitting sanctions.)

Trump thanked Putin for expelling US diplomats​

Trump thanked Putin for expelling hundreds of US diplomats from Russia in August 2017, saying, "I want to thank him because we're trying to cut down our payroll." Putin kicked out the officials to retaliate for US sanctions. Trump's view conflicted with the State Department, which said the mass expulsion was "uncalled for." (Trump later said he was being sarcastic.)

Trump criticized and alienated NATO allies​

Trump has repeatedly attacked NATO, aligning himself with Putin, who wants to weaken the alliance. Trump said NATO was "obsolete," rattling European leaders. At his first NATO summit, Trump scolded other countries for not spending enough on defense and declined to commit to NATO's mutual defense pledge. (Trump later said he supported the mutual defense provision.)

Trump eased sanctions on Deripaska​

In January 2019, the Trump administration lifted sanctions on three Russian companies tied to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch with close ties to Putin. The Treasury Department had sanctioned Deripaska and the companies over his support for Russian interference in the 2016 election. In a bipartisan rebuke, 11 Senate Republicans supported a Democratic resolution calling for the sanctions to remain.

Trump congratulated Putin on his sham election​

Ignoring the advice of several top national security aides, Trump congratulated Putin on his March 2018 reelection victory. Putin got 77% of the vote, but Western observers declared that the election "lacked genuine competition" and took place in an "overly controlled legal and political environment." Trump's critics said he had given the election legitimacy it did not deserve.

Trump defended USSR invasion of Afghanistan​

During a January 2019 Cabinet meeting, Trump defended the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. He said the Soviet Union "was right" to invade in 1979 because "terrorists were going into Russia." The comments puzzled many observers, who noted that the Soviets invaded to bolster a communist government and the US had backed Afghan militants who fought the Soviets.

Trump praised pro-Russian leaders in Europe​

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on May 13, 2019.'s Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on May 13, 2019.


Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on May 13, 2019.
On several occasions, Trump has praised controversial far-right European leaders who have been shunned by most US officials because of their close ties to Putin. Trump met at the White House with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a top Kremlin ally. He praised the campaign of French politician Marine Le Pen, whose party previously got millions from a Russian bank.

Trump didn't publicly condemn Russian attack​

According to congressional testimony, Trump declined to publicly condemn a Russian attack against Ukrainian military vessels in November 2018, even though the State Department prepared a statement for him. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized Russia's "dangerous escalation." The White House didn't say anything, but Trump canceled a meeting with Putin.

Trump wanted to let Russia back in the G7​

Breaking with American allies, Trump repeatedly called for Russia to be invited back into the Group of Seven. Russia was suspended from the working group of leading industrial nations in 2014 after Putin annexed Crimea. At this year's G7 summit in France, Trump pressed the other leaders to include Russia next year. They balked at the request, which would have been a huge benefit to Putin without any concessions.

Trump's Syria withdrawal gave Putin a boost​

Trump announced in October 2019 that US troops were withdrawing from northern Syria. The abrupt move cleared the way for Turkey to conquer territories previously controlled by the US and allied Kurdish militias. It also gave Russia a golden opportunity to expand its influence and swiftly take over abandoned US outposts and checkpoints. Trump's move was a boon for Putin.

Trump repeated Kremlin talking points on ISIS​

After announcing the Syria withdrawal, Trump repeated Kremlin talking points about ISIS. He said, "Russia hates ISIS as much as the United States does" and that they are equal partners in the fight. But Trump's comments don't reflect the reality on the ground: Since intervening in Syria in 2015, the Russian military has focused its airstrikes on anti-government rebels, not ISIS.
President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018.  Full credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images's President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018.  Full credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images


President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. Full credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Trump spread Russian myths about Ukraine​

Over the past two months, Trump has said many false things about Ukraine that align with Russian disinformation about the country. This includes claims of uncontrollable corruption, improper ties between Ukrainian officials and the Obama administration, and allegations that Ukraine meddled in US elections. This helps Putin's goal of destabilizing US-Ukraine relations.

Trump temporarily froze US aid for Ukraine​

As the impeachment inquiry has revealed, Trump personally froze $391 million in US military and security assistance for Ukraine in mid-2019. US diplomats said Ukraine desperately needed the help for its war against Russian proxies. Previously, the Trump administration had slow-walked sales of anti-tank missiles to Ukraine because of concerns it would upset Russia, according to a State Department official.

Trump considered visiting Putin on Russian soil​

Trump said last week that he is thinking about visiting Russia, at Putin's invitation, to attend a military parade next year. The US government has repeatedly called out Russia's aggressive moves around the world, so a visit from a sitting US president would be highly unusual. Obama made the last visit in 2013, when relations were warmer, before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Cnn? Lol
 
Are you really that fuckin' stupid? He said a "small incursion" might not be that bad. Are you too poor to pay attention?
What he SAID...you lying fuck...was that Russian troops entering the already Russian controlled areas of Donbas would not trigger major sanctions.

Of course it went much further than that and DID trigger hose sanctions
 
It's all about Trump Tower Moscow.

Trump has been about Trump Tower Moscow since 1987. He mentioned it in The Art of the Deal.

Trump has bribed Putin with a $50 million penthouse in Trump Tower Moscow to make it happen.

During the 2016 campaign, he was in open negotiations with Russia to get it built, and he spit right in the faces of the rube herd and told them he had no dealings with Russia. Several times. Over and over he lied to their slack open-mouthed faces.

Trump Tower Moscow takes precedence against all else. Trump literally cannot say a single bad word against Putin because he wants that Tower more than he loves anyone or America.

Putin knows this. This is why he gave Trump a leg up in 2016 and tried to in 2020.

Trump has been publicly sucking Putin's cock and fondling his balls for many years.

He cannot even bring himself to specifically name Putin when he finally got around to criticizing the invasion of Ukraine. Worse, he PRAISED Putin, calling him a genius.

Trump's biggest bootlicker, Sean Hannity, even tried in vain to get Trump to call Putin evil, and was unsuccessful.


But if some minor celebrity hurts Trump's thin skinned ego, he tweet storms for DAYS, sometimes WEEKS.

The man is a traitor. Straight up.
 
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Trump is the donkey. Putin is the rider. And Trump Tower Moscow is the carrot on the stick which Putin uses to drive Trump wherever Putin wants to go.

Pathetic.
 
Trump is the donkey. Putin is the rider. And Trump Tower Moscow is the carrot on the stick which Putin uses to drive Trump wherever Putin wants to go.

Pathetic.


I guess you haven't been keeping up with current events.

May I suggest you Google 'Ukraine'.

Pathetic indeed. :auiqs.jpg:
 
Fu

Fuck off moron. I've got enough problems with these fucking liberal/prog bastards without having to argue with an illiterate asshole.
It's not my fault you made a fool of yourself and I even gave you a way to pull out with grace.

Perhaps some anger management counseling is in order?
 
Run along rookie, troll someone else.
Just can't help yourself can you???
Run along rookie, troll someone else.
Hilarious, no matter how many lifelines you are thrown you're determined to drown in your own BS and errors.

It's ok to be wrong, we all are from time to time. The difference that adults can own it, admit it and move on.
 
Can we agree that:

1) Biden's energy policy and advanced senility have emboldened Putin.

2) The CCP is America's main threat. The U.S. should work for a compromise with Russia and support a neutral independent Ukraine.
The biggest near term thread is a resurgent Russia with Putin being allowed to succeed in his barbaric invasion and war crimes.

He's going to lose much of his rolling stock, aircraft, and missiles which he can't afford to replace even without the sanctions and Russians will be back to lining up in bread lines for blocks hoping for a handout of gov't cheese and bread because the stores are empty and nobody can afford even a damned sandwich.

There's only one way to deal with this and it's to not allow him to succeed, anything else simply ensures Ukraine will not be the last to be invaded.

Worse, any army is like a snowball at the top of a hill, the more momentum you allow it to build as it rolls down the harder it will ever be to stop it without destroying your own forces.

The easiest way to stop an invasion is to prevent the next one from even happening and the only thing that avoids that eventuality is to stop him now.

Ukraine doesn't even need foreign troops to come and save their asses, what they must have however is for the west to continue giving them what they need to continue fighting for their own country.

The more Putin is able to take of the west, the more likely the eventuality of US troops having to become involved under Article 5 of the NATO charter, I don't want that to ever be necessary because then we're talking about a situation that could get completely out of control at warp speed.
 
Absolutely not.

You know what is weak?

Calling the invasion of Ukraine "wonderful".

Calling KGB Putin a "genius".

Going on the air every night providing excuses for Putin to invade Ukraine.

That is what encouragement looks like, dipshit. It is traitorous.
Dissent is as American as pancakes and waffles on weekends.

We're not at war with Russia so no, it's not and it can't be treason.
 
Please stop licking Biden's saggy balls for a moment and inform yourself:



Biden is a feeble, drooling joke.

Trump's remarks were obviously sarcasm. Corporate media stooges pretend otherwise to score cheap partisan points.

Trump's remarks were made when the chess board looked completely different.

Respect for the enemy goes a long way towards never underestimating them and Trump's nature as a salesman is always to go with the carrot before the stick.
 
As I said a couple weeks ago when someone asked what the Republicans thought America should do about Putin, we would not hear anything from the cowardly Republicans until Biden acted, and then they would be against whatever he did.

TA-DAAAAAAAAA!
That certainly isn't true, Republicans have been critical of Joe's mental decline and piss poor performance since he was elected and have constantly been at odds with his foreign policy disasters.

You can't react to something Biden says or does before he says or does something to be criticized, not with any sort of intellectual honesty at least, and as the party out of power they are always going to have to react to what Biden decides good, bad or indifferently.
 

25 times Trump was soft on Russia​

Analysis by Marshall Cohen, CNN
Updated 10:29 AM ET, Sun November 17, 2019
Regardless of Trump's motive being almost certainly personal, this is not grounds on which to condemn Trump.
Trump can still claim that he didn't get America and the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Trump's supporters refuse to discuss the details, but that doesn't change the facts.

Now Biden stands guilty of doing just that!
 
Trump's remarks were made when the chess board looked completely different.

Respect for the enemy goes a long way towards never underestimating them and Trump's nature as a salesman is always to go with the carrot before the stick.
So you can at least admit that Trump offered Putin the carrot!
It was pretty certain somebody would say it.
 
So you can at least admit that Trump offered Putin the carrot!
It was pretty certain somebody would say it.
I've said that repeatedly. When you want to negotiate a deal with someone you don't usually start out insulting them.

Trump's background is for all practical purposes one of being a salesman so that's how he approached everything.
 

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