Tag: Trump bromance with Putin

Trump’s extraordinary press conference was not normal

The following article was posted on the Axios website July 16, 2018:

Credit: Yuri Kadobnova, AFP/Getty Images

President Trump today, at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said he didn’t see “any reason” why Russia would interfere in the 2016 election, in response to a question on whether he believed Putin or U.S. intelligence agencies.

Our thought bubble from Jonathan Swan in Helsinki: “I just have no words. As press in this room, we are all sitting in here speechless and stunned. Trump cast doubt over the U.S. intelligence community and endorsed Putin’s denial. Trump was given an opportunity to denounce the meddling and he didn’t; he just pivoted to lines about the missing server and Hillary’s emails. While Putin spoke forcefully, lying, Trump nodded along. There’s no way of sugar coating or spinning this.”

Why it matters: This comes just days after Trump’s own administration indicted 12 Russians for hacking the DNC with the intent of interfering with the election. The U.S. intelligence community has repeatedly concluded that Russia actively sought to interfere in the election, and plans to again.

View the complete article on the Axios website here.

Trump’s extremely defensive interview about Russia and Putin

The following article by Aaron Blake was posted on the Washington Post website July 16, 2018:

In an interview with CBS News, Trump said, “Well, I think we have a lot of foes. I think the European Union is a foe, what they do to us in trade.” (Reuters)

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation just indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for interfering in the 2016 election. It seems to have changed nothing for President Trump.

About the most innocent explanation you can offer for Trump’s muted attitude toward Russia’s and Vladimir Putin’s 2016 actions is that he doesn’t like to talk about it— that he feels the whole thing undermines his legitimacy as president. And a new interview with CBS News shows better than just about anything how defensive he is about the whole thing.

CBS released four questions and answers Sunday from Trump’s interview with anchor Jeff Glor. The big news is that he suggested the European Union is a “foe” and that he says he doesn’t expect much from his meeting Monday with Putin.

View the complete post on the Washington Post website here.