Does anyone else wonder just who president Trump thinks he represents the Russians or the United States ? Putin must have dirt on Trump !
8
Mr. President:
Please stop congratulating Putin on his election victory, because when you're running against a couple of poisoned corpses, a 76% winning margin is nothing to brag about.
@GeneGrossman
7
Trump is spineless. That's all there is to it.
6
Whatever Putin has on DJT (certainly MUST be something) I sure wish it would come out. Cliffhanger, people!
5
"In fact, both Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush called to congratulate Mr. Putin after previous election victories."
Exactly. For a "normal" president, a routine diplomatic nicety such as this would not even be in the news. In fact, even with all the Russia drama this really shouldn't be on the front page. It simply feeds even more unnecessary attention to DT's tapeworm-like ego.
1
Trump is upset by the reduction of trophy opportunities with respect to the white rhino. Of course, he's still got his eye on the two females left.....
4
It's now being reported that Tramp is going berserk over this information being leaked. Clearly he knows that he's been caught with his pants down, in this case figuratively, vs. literally which was last week's news.
8
It's a shame he never seems to have a "very good call" with any of our allies; this only seems to happen with murderous dictators.
6
MEMO TO GOP:
In the U.K. it's called the loyal opposition. Might wanna check that out.
2
Why not just slap Theresa May in the face?
4
Trump is in financial bondage to Putin Inc. His tax returns would point this out and the records subpeoned by Mueller should make this clear. The POTUS is a subject of blackmail.....this cannot turn out well.
4
Hey RUSSIAN REPUBLICANS your running out of time to grow a spine.
Better step it up or be prepared for a slaughter in November. I guarantee it.
GOP = Government Of Putin
3
In talking to Putin , trump talks to him as a child trying to earn favor. Did I do good sir, are you proud of me? Has anyone ever heard him say " my country will not and does not tolerate your illegal actions in our elections" my country does not and will not tolerate your attacks on citizens in our allies countries" you will suffer sanctions on top of current sanctions and given notice to cease and desist." That's how you talk to Putin.
4
And we all know what appeasing a dictator causes. History is full of examples.
2
Meanerwhile, my Rep tries to make nice with Trump by suggesting a wall be built between California and AZ to stop all their fake criminality from crossing over their red line. She has taken Putin's poison and raised her glass to Trump to keep his base galvanized enough to vote her into Flake's seat. What a coward before the might of Putin's hate mongering.
4
One of the most important jobs Robert Mueller has for the American people, is finding out what Putin has on Donald Trump .
7
A Democrat would win the Nobel Peace Prize.
1
Yes Sir, anything you do or say is fine with me!
My Country for the video, always!
2
The only thing more shocking than the anti-democratic antics of Comrade Trump is the deafening silence of McConnell and Ryan.
5
My point of view is this was a business call. He was reaching out to Putin, just in case he is either impeached or not re-elected, and Putin knows he has no ill will towards him. Trump wants his business.
It’s obvious Trump has no concerns about Putin being a brutal dictator or and he maybe poisoning his enemies. The bottom line Trump takes care of Trump.
5
Hi national security advisor advised against making that call. Common sense dictated not to make that call. I didn't hear about ANY other western head of state making such a call.
3
I would like to point out to all commenters using the Fox News/Limbaugh standard talking points of the day that are truly false equivalencies regarding Obama. Yes Obama did congratulate Putin 6 years ago. Long before the election systems attack on the US. Before the placement and then exposure of a Russia installed Ukrainian puppet president. Before the forced annexation of Crimea. Before the Russian proxy war on Ukraine using pro-Russian East Ukraine partisans. Before the Russian war on innocents in Syria and before most of the assassinations of Russian expats in the UK and elsewhere.
Total false equivalencies.
5
Trump must be thrilled! Trump can now count on a second term. Putin with the election behind him, can concentrate on revving up the Russian Facebook/Fox News propaganda machine to keep his favorite billionaire boy in the presidency for another term.
2
The President loves dictators, gropes women and according to lying Ted is a"pathological liar," "utterly amoral," "a narcissist at a level I don't think this country's ever seen" and "a serial philanderer."
The Vice President hears & talks to Jesus and doesn't trust himself to have lunch with a woman alone.
Pogo was right "we have met the enemy and they are us"
2
Trump is a failure on multiple levels. It is no wonder he spends unnecessary time degrading good men such as President’s Obama and Bush to elevate this own sense of self. Yet he continues to tarnish the presidency and our democratic institutions. He never had the intellectual, personality or intelligence minimums to handle this position and he continues to underestimate those demands and exaggerates his inferior capacity to manage the office.
We are tired of listening to him, he should resign and save us all the specter of an impeachment, unfortunately he won’t: "SAD x 2”.
2
Wow! Looks like our President likes The Boss and the KGB better than his own FBI and their chiefs - now ex-chiefs. This is a very sad for our country and it's famed institutions.
3
Trump insults and vilifies such allies as France, Germany, Canada, Australia and Mexico yet heaps fawning praise on Putin every chance he gets. Where Putin is concerned, he sounds like a brown-nosing toady or sycophant.
Thus, Sarah Sanders statement defending Trump more accurately reads: "We disagree with the fact that we shouldn't have conversations with (i.e. prostrate ourselves to) Russia (i.e. our Overlords). There are important topics (i.e. obsequities) we should be able to discuss (i.e. lavish upon our Fearless Leader)."
2
What if Mr. Trump were president when Khrushchev planted missiles in Cuba?
2
David Dennison, a true profile in courage,would have mentioned the lack of a free and fair Russian election, Russian meddling in the U.S. election ,and the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain. Trump,on the other hand, was silent on those issues.
1
Good to see that he sent congratulations to his mentor
2
Even as president it's hard to believe this one person is capable of so much harm to America's reputation around the world.
3
President Trump offered congratulations to a dictator, who has ordered the murder of political opponents, on “winning” reelection. Moreover, he did so over the express consensus of his national security team that he not do so. Yet, the congressional GOP caucus is utter silent, as is conservative media. How can Republicans be taken seriously if they refuse to take a stand on democracy and the security of our country?
2
“We will probably be meeting in the not-too-distant future.” Is it time for Mr. Trump's performance review by Mr. Putin? Mr. Trump may have points taken off since there is still a second major party functioning in the US.
2
Mr. Trump was warned by his advisors not to congratulate Putin. He did it anyway. Can we trust him to follow the advice of lawyers and Republicans who warn him not to fire Mueller? I would feel better if Congress would pass legislation protecting Mueller from that possible outcome.
Mr. Trump didn't mention Russian interference with the U.S. election. He tweeted his admiration of China for making it possible for the person in charge to keep being in charge.
The Mueller investigation will answer some questions, but Trump's behavior speaks volumes.
3
So UNFAIR! Criticizing the so-called president for that!
It wasn't the election victory, it was the successful use of nerve gas in a crowded city to make a point about loyalty, comrades.
2
Have any of Trump's advisors ever heard of "reverse psychology"? They might want to use it on Trump - for instance, if they'd told Trump: "Be SURE to congratulate Putin profusely on his win & emphasize that he is FAR more powerful than you are!", I'm sure Trump would have done the exact opposite.
2
Trump is disconnected from geo-political reality or any accurate perception of US foreign policy interests and those of American allies
2
I m sure there's a lot more to this than meets the eye. These two guys have known each other for quite some time and surely none of it is good. Trump would never bad mouth him because in the past Putin helped him get what he needed at the time. What kind of country is this right now? One that is beholden to autocrats like Putin.
2
I do not, as a general proposition, condone leaking but I'm making an exception in the case of this presidency.
The 'congrats leakers' are not trying to undermine you or you presidency, Mr President. They're trying to save the nation.
3
"....he spoke to his aides by phone and never saw the cards."
And therein lies the problem.
2
Remember when Trump was heard telling Russia he would have more flexibility after his election?
2
I expect this from Trump.
But I demand more from NYT.
The Russians attacked our 2016 presidential election. They have hacked into our essential infrastructure control systems. Using the word "meddling" minimizes the Russian threat. Nosey neighbors meddle. They don't subvert presidential elections or threaten to sabotage our infrastructure.
3
Senator McCain said that, by his phone call to Putin, Mr. Trump had “insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election”.
I say Mr. Trump's ascendancy to office was an insult to every US citizen who was denied the right to vote "in a free and fair election!"
2
Trump is a weak leader. America’s Yeltsin
1
Manchurian President Trump threatens our national security and integrity.
11
Of course he congratulated Putin.
Putin is Trump's role model, because he has achieved for himself in Russia - total consolidation of power - exactly what Trump wants to achieve for himself here in the USA.
23
I had the great good fortune last month to attend an evening with Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward in Chicago, and they noted that one difference between Watergate and what is going on now, is that back then, "we knew there'd been a crime," we just didn't know how deep it all went. Woodward said that in the present situation, we don't know the "crime" beyond the underlings' situations. I wanted to call out some advice that Woodward once received: "Follow the money. Just...follow the money." The Trump presidential candidacy stands as nothing short of the single greatest marketing campaign in history. He didn't expect to win; he acknowledged that. But nothing could burnish the Trump brand globally than the profile and visibility of a U.S. presidential run, win or lose. This was always about the money. Putin notwithstanding, Trump knows that all presidencies end and he's always been about positioning himself/Trump Inc. for the millions/billions that he can reap after that, not the least of which coming from the foothold he's cultivating in Russia. His Putin call was about keeping that relationship viable, period. He knows his window will close, so he will fire Mueller, which will create another chaos cyclone but also buy time and get him a bit closer to his exit (impeachment or not-reelected). And whenever he leaves, it will be evident: This was, all along, always about the money.
33
I seem to recall that one of the candidates in our last presidential campaign spent a lot of time complaining about "rigged elections." I'm sure we'll hear that same person holding Putin to task for his patently fraudulent victory any day now.
13
I may have missed it reading the article, but how and from whom did the press first learn about the call?
2
Umm, that would be the Russian media. They knew before our own media were notified.
2
"In fact, both Presidents Barack [H.] Obama and George W. Bush called to congratulate Mr. Putin after previous election victories."
Why did the New York Times stoop to including a fact in this article?
Yeah, sure, they buried it well out of sight.
But, there can be no excuse for including even one tiny little bitty fact when they are exposing the evil Trump for the threat that he poses for the very fragile institutions that our democracy is clinging to.
Pretty sad, Times.
10
This was a different time: before the annexation of Crimea, before BUK missiles, extraterritorial poisonings, and Russian incursions into Swedish territorial waters. Keep the disinformation coming.
3
Can you think of some big, conspicuous differences between then and now?
2
While I am not a fan of the president, I can understand his anger at the leak of a classified briefing. BUT it is more distressing that once again the President either didn't read the briefing (likely) or that he chose to ignore the advice of his experts (also likely and maybe more distressing).
The guy just isn't up to the job. He's endangering us. And that's scary.
13
Why should we give this president any private discussions under the current circumstance where trump is giving Putin an advsary of our country the secrets of our Country ? Could trump really be a traitor to this nation ?
2
Trump is so transparent in his appalling intentions and lack thereof. And it's frustrating because it doesn't matter - we're stuck with him.
4
One can only assume that Trump told Putin that if voting in the U.S. was as fair and honest as in Russia and if the intelligence and law enforcement agencies here listened to him the same as the ones in Russia listen to Putin, he'd have the same winning percentage as Putin.
5
We forgot that Roosevelt met with Stalin several times and corresponded also a number of times. Yes, we were at War together against Germany but with no illusions about Stalin. Also, we need to remember that Russia had a treaty with Japan and did not declare war on Japan until just a few weeks before the fall of Japan. Thus, the subsequent dividing of Korea, the result of which still haunts us.
I see no reason for Trump not to go through the diplomatic ritual of congratulating Putin on winning his election. Being polite even to an "enemy ?" is in the tradition of that great statesman, Churchill. He famously said he could be polite to an enemy before he killed him. This was when he was questioned about using diplomatic language in his correspondence with Hitler. ( I paraphrased Churchill's remark). On the other hand, perhaps Trump wants to kiss Putin.
4
FOX has been amazingly successful in discrediting the FBI. Now media needs to take a page out of their book and discredit FOX. They lie and twist and cheat and are stealing our fragile democracy. Media Matters is doing a terrific job but they need to be amplified here and on television. They can't do this alone.
20
Right now we have a government of one as Trump ignores the advice of experienced professionals. So in the stages of competence, we have a President that is at "Unconscious incompetence - You Don't Know what you don't know"
5
Furious that we are talking about leaks and not why there are leaks. There are leaks (and they become news) because our president and his administration is acting in absurd, dangerous, and indicting ways. Suggesting that there should not be leaks is suggesting that this president should be allowed to 'govern' without question or scrutiny -- this isn't how our democratic system was designed.
11
Would we really expect Trump to talk tough with his BFF, Putin?
In his press interview Trump was so excited about "meeting Putin in the not so distant future", he repeated this three times.
Just a reminder...President Donald Trump's former bodyguard, Keith Schiller, testified to Congress that he (Schiller) rejected a Russian offer to send five women to Trump's hotel room in 2013, when the Trump was visiting Moscow for the Miss Universe pageant.
Schiller could not testify if Trump accepted the offer after he left DJT's room.
5
Of course, a guy would call his banker with congratulations on special occasions. And, this time of year, a guy also needs to request financial documents needed to complete a guy's 1040. It takes time to get those W-4s from Moscow.
10
After all this 'democracy' push-pack and falderal, I'm sure it was a pleasure to commune with a kindred spirit. That he failed to thank Putin for the meddling, though - that seems unappreciative.
7
Putin owns trump, literally owns him.
Some of you may have doubts, I don't. We're talking treason, not collusion.
17
In Trump’s defense, he is about as crazy as they come.
And, he knows that he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose any support.
That’s probably true, but let’s hope he doesn’t go there.
2
Gosh, I must not be following this well. I mean, the meddling is part of what he's congratulating him about, right? Huh?
8
"Trump furious over leak of warning to not congratulate Putin."
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/21/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-cong...
Obviously, transparency is not a goal when dealing with Russia.
9
In tandem with #45's unquestioned allegiance to Putin, we see our White House communications / press staff, fronted by Huckabee-Sanders, as a mere propaganda arm for Russia. Our national press corps should boycott any and all press briefings, for everyone knows they are a farce at this point. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank has given admirable and accurate reportage on this score. It's now way worse that the "5 O'Clock Follies" that Saigon press had to face during the Vietnam War. And we are getting mired in the propping up of a tinpot dictator in #45.
11
Can't mention meddling because HE was involved, and supported Russian election hackers. Although, he says so much ill-considered stuff, one of these days I think he will inadvertently admit it. World's worst people will stick together.
8
No puppet? Trump could give Howdy Doody lessons on the finer points of being a puppet. I wonder if the aide who wrote "DO NOT CONGRATULATE" gets the Rex Tillerson treatment.
9
Trump congratulated Putin on his phony election because he remembered that Putin congratulated him on his phony election. Just common courtesy, you see.
9
Despite Kremlin's Signals, U.S. Ties Remain Strained After Russian Election
The New York Times
March 7, 2012 Wednesday, Late Edition - Final
Mitt Romney, the leading Republican presidential candidate, pounced quickly, issuing a statement criticizing the Obama administration for being too tepid in its statement on the election.
''What the world witnessed in Russia yesterday was a mockery of the democratic process,'' Mr. Romney said. ''Instead of stating that it 'congratulates the Russian people on the completion of the presidential elections,' as the Obama administration has done, it should have condemned the flagrant manipulation and media restrictions that marred this election.''
In the highly coded language of diplomacy, the Obama administration's statement was hardly a valentine. It pointedly congratulated ''the Russian people on the completion of the presidential elections,'' but not Mr. Putin himself. It endorsed the report by European election observers and urged the Russian government ''to conduct an independent, credible investigation of all reported electoral violations.''
Copyright 2012 The New York Times Company
Section: Section A; Column 0; Foreign Desk; Pg. 4
3
Trump's fawning over the actions of dictators and despots is shameful.
8
it is because Trump wants to be like Putin.
6
Trump's cluelessness is an embarrassment to any functioning democracy, and a sign that he's unwilling to take on any controversial issues. It also gives Putin a green light to meddle in the voting process of any legitimate democracy. Trump should be ashamed, but of course, that's an emotion that Trump lacks.
4
This shows that Trump is either his own man and heeds his own counsel above that of the 'experts,' or he is Putin's puppet because Putin can blackmail him -- I highly suspect the latter.
3
Well of course Trump congratulates Putin! Trump is terrified of him. Putin holds so much compromising dirt on Trump, he could sink DJT in one day.
And notice Trump's comrades-in-complicity, McConnell & Ryan, once again say NOTHING. Wonder what "dirt" Trump holds over these two lackeys.
Waiting for the midterms.
4
Senator McCain said it best: You do not congratulate dictators on winning sham elections. We need more McCains in Congress.
5
An obviously fake election endorsed by our fake president. We are truly finished.
5
Mark, the comments by Mr.Brennan yesterday that "Trump has something very Serious to Fear from Russia" as stated in your paper today was so alarming.
And yes we should fear for our lives when we learn that our president is just a pawn in the hands of Putin.
Trump's congratulatory phone call to Putin on his winning the latest fake election so that most probably he will remain the Russian president for life, doesn't help to ease our fear either.
It really should scare us when we parse what Mr. Brennan alluded in his terse statement that we may have a Russian president in steroids running our country.
And Trump might be Putin's stooge because of what he did in Moscow in 2013 after he ran "Miss Universe Contest" with another Russian oligarch.
It is also very well known to our intelligence communities that the so called "dossier" that all of them read, is true.
Mr. Brennan was right along with a handful of intelligence chiefs including Mr. Comey ,the ex-F.B.I. Director that Trump did really go overboard on his last trip to Russia.
They stand by the 'Steel Dossier' which stated Trump was so jealous of Obama to the point of someone who was totally blind with rage that a Black man became the president in his country which for Trump is still reserved for the White elites just as his KKK member father told him when he was young.
So Americans, please be aware that our current president is a sell out.
And Putin is our de facto president as long as Trump sits in the White House.
7
Democracy is in real danger here. Germans who kept quiet in 1932 so they would have more jobs and better economy paid a terrible price in 1945. AMERICA BE WARNED Ray Sipe
8
Trump is a liar, and the problem with being a liar is that even when you tell the truth, nobody really knows whether you are lying or not.
So every time he claims that the "Russia thing" is a "hoax," or that all of those women who accused him of sexual assault (or who have said that he paid them off to keep affairs secret) are lying, almost no one's suspicions are allayed. His word on any subject is not a guarantee of any substance.
Only the truly gullible can believe him now, and they are, in the rest of our minds, Trump's marks -- the people he has successfully conned.
6
Do you remember how Reagan referred to the Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire"?
Well, Ronald Reagan must be turning in his grave now!!!!
3
It’s so obvious, Government Under Putin GOP
4
...Nor was US meddling in Ukranian Elections mentioned.
Bush? care to comment?
Clinton?
Obama?
1
Evidence? And even if meddling occurred, was there evidence that the winner colluded with Bush? Clinton? Obama?
6
Quick to accuse one...Trump.
Even quicker to deny others are involved in exactly the same.
Problem.
If he was a Russian stooge, how would it look any different to now?
2
For his spelling mistakes alone - he needs to #resign
5
Has anyone introduced him to spellcheck? Our First Lady, the immigrant, has a better command of the language than Trump with his Ivy league schooling.
1
How can 30 Plus of American voters believe this guy? Do they truly hate Dems. so much as to sacrifice their own national security and identity? "He" claims to be so, so smart, smarter than his advisories yet look at his actions and comments. Trump is a fake! He is a fake president! He is a fake Christian! He is a fake human being! Ah, but yet he is a good Comrade.
Nasdrovia Comrade Trump.
9
President Trump was advised against congratulating Russian President Vladimir Putin on his reelection victory, CBS News' Jeff Pegues confirms. Mr. Trump did so anyway.
***
Trump only sent most simple diplomacy words. Every President all did same. Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton was also.
It is same:
Every man is not pregnant, It is a man's privilege. Trump is not pregnant, Left wing party must say that is illegal and Trump do not respect women. Is there such an unreasonable law? It is discrimination. Trump must have all presidential right witch US law and US constitution guarantee. Including right about man is not pregnant.
From Christopher Steele of Russia dossier, Russia mass Interferenced Mexico election, Putin threatens new weapons to US, Russia killed former spy in UK. Russian ambassador vows retaliation after U.S. sanctions. From Russian government play Trump campaign team by Moscow porn events; Russian government secretly compete for US natural enemy-Mexico; Putin said in his speech. “Well, listen to us now.”; Russian government launched a new spy fatal attack; Russian government public diplomacy war. Trump government is getting deeper into the struggle against with Russian government every day more and more. I want ask left wing media and Dems, Did you see this "Collusion Russia" before? Did you see Russian government "Collusion" any country same it before? In this world, Who "Collusion" each other look like such enemy? Nonsense.
Mr Trump doesn't realise who he is dealing with. Putin is a spy, KGB, student of Stalin who outgrew his master, Putin will sell Trump x 10 without blinking, T will never even know. He won election!!!! what a surprise hahahahahah
2
The difference between Donald and the thug dictators he admires -- Putin, Dueterte, Erdogan, Kim -- is that they can go out on the street and shoot somebody, and they do, and nobody can say anything. If Donald were no restrained by the democracy we live in. Comey, McCabe, Tillerson, Priebus, Cohn, Scaramucci, Flynn, Yates wold be dead if Donald lived in the countries whose dictators he worships. He, like them, is a man without any feeling for others, who has the audacity to say open that he is the law. No one should be surprised that he sucks up to these murderers, or expect him to call them out when they kill their citizens, spies, relatives. In another context, he would do the same. When he shouts out, "You're fired!" murder is in his heart.
4
In congratulating the Russian leader, Mr. Trump had little or no choice, not to do so. Whether it is Mr. Trump in Office, any other individual as POTUS, would have done the same. With Russia's position on the world stage, the US will always have the need to at least have a mutual understanding with that country.
Russia may no longer be the former USSR. The country continues to have voice and influence. As a member of the UN Security Council, at voting time on critical areas, the US needs Russian support. Russia is trying to establish a foothold in the Middle East, and continuing its influence in Ukraine and Europe and North Korea.
We do not like Vladimir Putin. It has nothing to do with the people of Russia or the country. Putin is doing much harm to his own people and the country. Putin is not a politician or even a diplomat. He sees everything around him, and the world through the same lenses he would hold as a KGB.
We all know the harm and the injury Putin has inflicted on our country. He will not be forgiven for that. We want Mr. Donald Trump, our POTUS to know that. How Mr. Trump sees Mr. Putin or perceives him will be left to the ongoing debates and discussions.
Whether Trump congratulates Putin is irrelevant to his presidency and our national interests. If the investigation turns up illegal actions then he will be treated accordingly. He is surely a test of our institution of the presidency. In the meantime, It would be nice to see less jumping on the bandwagon-type comments from savvy NY Times readers
4
I guess Tigershark, us "savvy" NYT readers (even though I'm as blue collar as you can get) just remember all the porn actress, contestant on whatever that show was, filed businesses, indicted associates, son in law While House personal business meetings and false and fake charity fronts just makes us a tab bandwagon-y.
I don't know, just something about having a "president" reduce the office to a locker room for mob like behavior does that to me every time.
6
Jumping on he bandwagon, as you put it, is what separates us from Putin's Russia. If I felt otherwise I might consider moving to Russia in order to feel more at home.
8
It is TOTALLY relevant. It is not only Times readers who feel that formal congratulations to Putin are unacceptable in March 2018. You will see more, not less, criticism of both Trump and Putin.
8
Mr.Trump talks about no collusion.Collusion means behavior meant to deceive others.Mr Trump is deceiving the American voters as he acts as though Mr.Putin is a friend of the United States and deserves congratulations on his "Rigged" election.Mr.Trump is also deceiving the public by not expressing concern about the use of nerve agents.He deceives about the seriousness of this behavior.Mr.Trump is colluding with Mr.Putin to deceive the American people about the threat of Russia and Putin.
10
No big deal that Trump didn’t confront Putin about the UK poisonings. If he had, the explanation would’ve been exactly the same as when he asked Putin about election meddling—save a few words:
"I asked him again. You can only ask so many times... He said he absolutely did not (delete "meddle in our election") order the poisoning. He did not do what they are saying he did. I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it... I think he's very insulted, if you want to know the truth.”
3
Putin and Trump know that video of the Russian nuclear IBM hitting Florida was a "fake" threat . After a few calls between them, Putin will agree not to direct the IBM towards Florida and Trump will triumphantly declare that he has made America safer though his personal relationship with Putin. In turn Putin has permission and cover for past, present and future offenses.
Putin also used video in his presentation to remind Trump of the other video in his possession from the Moscow hotel suite.
5
Trump is a Russian asset. The sooner we ALL come to grips with this, the better.
We the People have to put a true check on this president. Give control of Congress to the Democrats in November.
The United States is US. We get the government we deserve.
18
Shakespearean comedy or tragedy? With the farce of these phony calls it is hard to know. The Trump and Putin bromance is like a clandestine office romance that everyone else knows about: do they linger too long at the water cooler? Do their eyes meet a bit too long or too much? I guess the famous photograph of Putin smiling on a fishing trip with Bushes 41 and 43 is long forgotten?
And who in the administration thought they could coach Trump as to what to say, anyway?! Trump HATES anyone putin’ words in his mouth! And, he’s much less reliable reading cue cards. This was probably the most awkward and ridiculous pro forma operation the Oval Office has seen since Lewinsky.
However, everyone gets a chance to talk out of both sides of their mouths. “Election integrity”: blah, blah, blah, yet no legislation to better protect our electoral process. Trump is a crazy “colluder” yet give him 800 billion dollars to make more war. The USA respects fair elections; go ask Latin America about that. There are forces at work here far beyond these two puppets on the stage. Whatever you think, it ain’t what you think it is. I just hope they let us all know when they’re scheduling WW III.
2
"Clueless" does not begin to describe the American president. Whether "accomplice" and "stooge" and "traitor" should be added to the list remains to be determined.
3
They probably giggled like school kids over their shared election secrets. “Great campaign Vlad.”
“Well, I learned from the best, ME”
5
Once long ago, in the early 20th century, the liberals looked to Russia as the best hope for human progress. Even as late as the last decade, proclaimed socialsts still looked to the Soviet model as Utopia. I believe had Trump not won the liberal would still be enamored by Russia. Trump was right to congratulate Putin. It was a matter of protocol, courtesy, politeness, behaviors unknown and not practiced by the liberal, especially young ones. Thank you.
3
"I believe had Trump not won the liberal would still be enamored by Russia."....That has to be one of the strangest statements I have ever heard. It is rather like someone suddenly arriving from a 1930's time warp.
9
I had to pop this warm, scented bubble, but a) liberals such as Jefferson never really looked towards communism; that was socialists and communists such as Thomas Paine; b) golly, terrible thing, there was a lot of hope that having thrown out the Tsar, his slavery, and his secret police, Russians would be building a free society; c) from Emma Goldman on, us lefties got more and more disillusioned about your, "utopia;" d) Stalinism really put the lid on the CPUSA, fortunately.
Please try and get SOMETHING accurate, for your next cheerful skip through the historical tulips.
As for the oddish claim about Trump's good manners and civility, hilarious. Don't give up such comedy stylings.
5
@Robert,
What I write is accurate. Thank you. It is just not from a left wing perspective.
Donald Trump wants to "do business" in Russia and other places controlled by Putin. He will do and say whatever it takes to get there and that includes selling out the United States. Sooner or later (please let it be sooner) Trump's "presidency will become an indelible stain on American history and he will have to go back to filing bankruptcies and cheating contractors. He thinks he will have a friend in Putin when that happens and if he helps Putin achieve the world domination he so desperately wants "the Donald" just might get what he wants.
2
When will our leadership act? Will the American people have to take this into our own hands?
6
Of course trump called his boss to congratulate him.
Trump is simply following Putin's fantasy playbook and bucket list on dismantling America to make it "America Last" - from it's democratic institutions, civility, economic solvency, demolishment of all allies and trade agreements, and outright bankruptcy fiscal and moral.
Trump has effectively allowed Russia to run all over America for the First time in its history.
All we have are sanctions against Russia. Russia has trump as our POTUS, with complicit Republican loyalists to carry out Putin's goals to weaken us. Who is in a stronger position?
Even with the most formidable military on Earth and in history, trump - and by extension the American people - is so afraid of Putin! Congratulations.
4
The entire universe, aka the Alt-Left, is pressuring Trump to do things that may not in the long term be in our best interests. First, the undeniable attempt of the Russian to interfere in the 2017 elections; Obama, our new Secular Saint, knew of these efforts and to quote what said to Putin, "Cut it Out". That ought to have sent Putin into a dark hole, but it didn't. Now Trump is being pressured to stick his finger in Putin's eye, call him dirty names, and the net result will be the Alt-Left will accuse him of endangering relations with an aggressive nuclear power. Second, if Trump does follows your advice, how does he later work with Putin on other issues? You can't call someone a crook and a thug, and Putin is, and later conduct negations on more substantive and pressing issues than Facebook bots? The issues here are straightforward; the government of Russia is a crime syndicate with a country, but this crime syndicate is recognized by the world as the legitimate government of Russia, and finally, when faced with two aggressive and unscrupulous powers, it is wisdom to give them as little reason as possible to gang up on you and deal with them one at a time.
I take it that it's never occurred that Trump's continual incoherent shrieking at Mexico, Canada, Englands, NATO, Australia, Japan, South Korea, his political opponents, his political friends, the CIA, veterans, reporters, the FBI, the parents of dead soldiers, and pretty much 60-70% of Americans might also raise an issue or two about cooperation.
1
A quick phone call between employee and employer seems appropriate.
5
Why open the door to an argument over the U.S.'s extensive 'meddling' in elections in former USSR members like the Ukraine, where the CIA actually overthrew a duly elected president making a mockery of Obama's claim of promoting democracy and underscoring the long history of CIA and other security agency influence on elections where the U.S. has a vital interest
1
One of two things is going on here:
1.) As John Brennan has opined, Putin 'has something' on Trump. Whether it be sexual 'kompramat', proof of money laundering or other criminal dealings by Trump and his organization, or just simply that Trump, who it is pretty well known is deep in debt, has large loans from or backed by a Russian bank and knows that one call from Putin means that those loans could be called and lead to his financial ruin. It has already been reported as long as a year ago, that the Trump organization has thousands of LLCs in Russia, and we all surely have seen the video of Don jr. bragging in front of a conference a few years ago how much business they do there, regardless of Trumps repeated denials of this fact.
or
2.) As has been surmised, Trump has wanted to build a hotel in Moscow for a very long time and, as most things go in Russia, he would need Putin's seal of approval to be able to do that. There has also been confirmation of this from the Sader/Stone intercepts.
Of course, coloring all of this is Trump's unashamed and juvenile obsession with authoritarian leaders, Putin not being the only one.
4
I don't blame Trump for being "diplomatic". Otherwise, Putin might elect someone else president next time.
5
Once again we learned about the call from the Kremlin. Trump made the call from his private quarters, out of view of staff. Why? Why? Why?
Why is it that every time Trump calls Putin we learn about it from Putin not Trump? Why always the secrecy? This constant hiding and lying by omission just fuels the suspicion that Trump is beholden to Putin.
If Trump wants to stop the 'witch hunt' he could start acting in full transparency.
He could start by acting in America's behalf. Does he not realize that he is talking to a man who ordered the Murder of two people with chemical weapons?
On foreign soil? Why would Trump overlook such action by Putin?
4
I look forward to an American president, not like the present un-American president. A president that stands for democracy, freedom, and nobility in human behavior, unlike the present president.
4
This, and Scott Pruitt's pollution of air, streams, oceans, has moved from alarming to insane to horrifying. This is damaging.
6
Actions are telling us the truth: Trump praises Putin and attacks Mueller. The only two conclusions are that Putin controls Trump and that Trump fears Mueller. It is long overdue that the GOP dumps Trump. Otherwise the voters need to dump every one of the GOP representatives on Nov. 6.
3
Why do people ask why Trump has not called out Putin for interfering in our elections? Or, why he has refused to command the NSA to employ their intelligence to ferret out and block Putin's further interference in advance of the 2018 election?
Simple; Putin has promised to interfere in those elections on behalf of Trump and the Republicans. If they succeed, expect whatever the Mueller investigation reveals, will be cast by the wayside, and in return, Trump will lift the sanctions on Putin.
4
Trump is grateful to Putin for his assistance in getting him elected President.
Trump fears Putin exposing their collaboration and cooperation along with Trump's income tax and business records to the American people.
Trump was meeting in the Oval Office with American ally Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia and did not want to offend his guest with any discussion of elections.
1
It is wrong for the White House to say that the United States has no business questioning how other countries conduct their elections. The U.S. has a hard-earned reputation as the leader of the democratic world. And the president of the country has a responsibility to uphold that reputation. By congratulating dictator Putin on his victory in a sham election, President Trump has trashed that reputation.
And in doing so only five days after his own administration imposed tough sanctions on Russia for its interference in the U.S. election and for other “malicious cyberattacks,” he was sending a message to Putin that his heart was not in what he signed off on.
The report says that he did it, overruling his national security advisers. That shouldn't surprise anyone. Hasn't he said repeatedly that that he is his own best adviser? But then, if that's he makes major foreign policy decisions, what does he need national security advisers for? How long can any self-respecting person work as his adviser?
His gesture toward Putin may have won him applause from his courtiers, like Sarah Huckabee Sanders. It may have earned him the right to expect help from Putin in the ongoing Russia probe. But as Senator John McCain is quoted as saying in this report, it "insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election to determine their country’s future, including the countless Russian patriots who have risked so much to protest and resist Putin’s regime.”
91
M.P.--It took him a YEAR to finally implement the sanctions that were legislated, with an overwhelming majority of Congress.
3
Maybe Trump should have "waited several days after Mt. Putin's election before calling." Would that have made it the same as President Obama's call in 2012?
1
No, waiting a few days is only part of the equation.
Here's an interesting article, that explains why.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/03/why-wont-the-white-...
1
Trump is a clear and present danger. It is unpatriotic for the Republican leadership to just sit back and do nothing. When his advisors tell Trump in capital letters DO NOT CONGRATULATE and he totally ignores this we can only assume he is loyal to Russia and not the USA.
2
It's a wonder no one has tried reverse psychology yet.
Give Trump a break please! How could he not to congratulate the man who got him elected ?! If Trump didn't do this, Putin wouldn't help next time.
2
After 14 months we can easily predict headlines: Trump And Putin Have Secret Meeting/Trump Fires Mueller/Trump Fires Kelly/ etc etc. The one headline I'm waiting for is Trump Indicted For Obstruction of Justice, Collusion With Russia and Money Laundering.
1
If Trump were an agent of Russia, what would he be doing that he is not already doing?
1
Gee, I think sitting with the prince of Saudi Arabia who is counting on Trump to counter Putin's Iran, but instead makes nice with Putin to his face is enough ally alienation for one day.
2
For a bunch that loved to "explain" Stalin's decades-long brutality, the tizzy of posters about Putin --- an ordinary Russian ruler If you know history --- is weird.
1
So what? That isn't news. Look what the Republicans in Congress are doing while you are rolling your eyes and sighing about Donald being a clueless dotard. What's in the budget for this Friday? Heard anything about that? Any interesting new judges been appointed? How's the health care system doing these days? Any word from the Democrats about how they might improve things?
I heard that Trump was provided guidance for the phone call and in all uppercase bold letters it read "DO NOT CONGRATULATE PUTIN ON HIS ELECTION".
2
Next November I hope that voters remember the myriad of Republican Senators, House Members and Cabinet Secretary’s that praised Trump and latched themselves to his coattails. I do understand, of course, that if political winds change direction, these same politicians will drop him like a hot potato. Trump really doesn’t care if he is thrown out of office though, it would just allow him more free time to grope more women.
1
Those who consider themselves the bedrock of American values somehow find a way to excuse the reprehensible deference our president shows to Vladimir Putin, an unquestionable adversary of this country. The word deplorable comes to mind, but use of that forceful adjective would make me an out of touch elitist.
1
Why did Donald Trump need a note in CAPITAL LETTERS telling him not to congratulate Putin? Can’t he remember that? Or a reminder to let the Parkland kids know he hears them.
It reminds me of notes left around the house for an Alzheimer’s patient to remind them of mundane issues like “don’t use the stove.” We’re treating this like willful disregard; maybe we’re giving him too much credit. I’ve wondered if his issues are organic.
2
Funny no one seemed to mind when Obama called Putin on March 9th 2012 to congratulate him on his win. No uproar, no press coverage of it. The same year he told Putin that he would have more "flexibility" after he was reelected.
3
"No uproar, no press coverage of it."....I think that was before Putin declared himself President for life, invaded Ukraine, pilfered Crimea, threatened the West with a nuclear attack, aided the massacre in Syria, and used nerve gas in England as a tool of assassination.
2
I never understand the logic of bringing up Obama. Conservatives claim that he was the worst president ever yet quickly use his presidency as a litmus test. Obama did it so it must be okay? Does that even make sense? Should not Trump be VASTLY superior to Obama in every way? So why always the references to the worst president in history when talking about the one who is making us great? If Obama did something, should not Donald do the complete opposite?
Putin is like a loan shark. All this congratulations and coddling by Trump to Putin is simply the vigirish paid weekly or whenever.
The real pay down of the loan shark’s loan is when Trumps’s actions and inactions toward Russia’s misadventures further fractures the Western Alliance and our own sense societal comity.
1
This one call epitomizes why the US can no longer be called the leader of the free world. Commandant Trump praises dictators for killing their own citizens (Duterte), lauds regimes for instituting the death penalty for non-capital crimes (China), and congratulates an oligarch for winning a truly rigged election (Russia) on the heels of having assassinated two expats and poisoning hundreds of others. How long will the country put up with this madman? Please, Mr. Mueller, save us from ourselves.
1
What's the big deal? Trump congratulated Putin when he was elected back in 2016, too.
1
Aside from the fact Trump ignored advice to NOT congratulate this monster, he proceeds to talk about meeting with this murderer while sitting next to a prince who is dependent upon Trump to protect him from the murderous intention of same monster!
Trump obviously doesn't care about anybody but himself as if Putin has threatened him with poisoning personally. But I'd have expected Trump to appear to care for said prince since his family needs such princes to save the family business.
2
Everyone acts surprised and bewildered about him calling his closest buddy to congratulate him. Has anyone heard of the show Lets Make a Deal? Donald Trump colluded with Russia to win the election so why would he punish Vlad for that? He can't. He wants it to happen again so he can stay in office for life like his friends in Russia, China, etc.. November can't come soon enough!
1
So many keep missing the point. Putin stoked his ego. He called him a bright and talented trump in 2015. When you stroke him, he remembers. He remembers those who praises him, warranted or not. Putin is doing something he wish he could, be an autocratic bully. McCabe and others he has thrown under the bus is just a smidgen of what he could do, if allowed
1
Trump has cruelly attacked, fired, dismissed or forced some to resign, of his A-level team. He is now tarnishing Mueller with dirty allegations, in preparation to undermine Mueller's findings, as fake information.
He is now surrounding himself with mindless loyalists, all set to copy what Putin has been doing, for the past 24 yrs.
Putin (and other autocrats like Erdogan) remain Trump's heroes.
1
He's Putin's puppet.
Hillary said it, and she was proven to be correct.
6
Trump and Putin: A Happy Couple, Together Forever.
4
The real news would have been if any American gov't voice had mentioned Russia's most stupid recent moves in a congratulatory message on Putin's re-election.
The NY Times has been in this manic propaganda effort for so long that the adults have apparently all left the building. Now they are asking the President why he didn't make a major blunder.
In a recent article, the Pentagon and Dr. Hoffman of the National Defense University expressed concerned about how to combat Russia’s use of “hybrid warfare,”; stealth invasion, local proxy forces, international propaganda, conventional/unconventional forces, information warfare, propaganda, and economic measures to undermine its enemies when it annexed Crimea and destabilize eastern Ukraine.
Like the Russians, the GOP are using the very same “hybrid warfare”
The GOP & Trump, following the direction of Joseph Goebbels who said that by repeating a few very specific ideas and understanding the psychology of the people concerned you could make them believe that a square is in fact a circle by just using words, and words can be molded to disguise intent. The purpose of propaganda isn’t to be intellectually pleasing or to control a few mindless people but instead, conquer the broad masses. They also use the wordsmithing of Dr. Frank Luntz, who understands how to use words that insight people to act purely on emotions and without all of the facts, manipulate people to act against their own needs.
Walker goes to Germany & England and 47 senators send a letter to the leader of Iran, Bush goes to Estonia (Russia).
The GOP uses gerrymandering, voter restrictions, limiting information freedoms, economic warfare defunding the country’s budget, destabilizes the country using fear tactics, provoking: racism, hyper-right religion, confederacy.
The GOP likes dictators…Trump!
2
The country, the planet - DOOMED.
1
I am so tired of worrying what trump will do next...he needs to stay in Florida or Russia. His chaos has caused more chaos in America!
3
Did Trump congratulate Putin on the other election he won back in November 2016?
2
What's with the Times's tiresome analysis of the symptoms without calling for the obvious cure: impeachment and removal from office?
2
Ridiculous. When Obama congratulated Putin in 2012 that wasn't any big deal, either to the Times or the rest of the Trump-hating media. Look, this "Russian collusion" business is phony -- you all know that -- but by perpetuating it you do a disservice to our country and our leadership whom you are hamstringing. Trump couldn't work with Putin now to bring the world back from the brink of nuclear war without being (wrongly) accused of 'colluding' with Putin. Enough already. Present your proof (which you can't do because it doesn't exist) or be quiet. This fake narrative is putting our country's security at risk.
"Russian collusion" business is phony -- you all know that....Just like Russian trolls in the NYT comments section are phony.
2
Strange that Landler writes that “both Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush called to congratulate Mr. Putin after previous election victories,” given that he goes on to quote a statement that makes it clear Obama studiously avoided congratulating Putin himself. (And I’d wager Bush did the same thing.) In the world of diplomacy, congratulating “the Russian people” on “completing” an election is a far cry from congratulating Putin on winning one. I’m sure the distinction wasn’t lost on Putin, and I’m frankly shocked that it seems to be lost on a reporter for the Times.
2
It was nice that Trump congratulated Putin for his great victory in Sunday's election, with no hint of envy or jealousy. After all Putin won the popular vote with over 70% of those voting and Trump couldn't even get over 50%; more people voted for "Cooked Hillary". And that was before Trump actually was inaugurated in front of the biggest crowd ever, Even the Electoral college with all its gerrymandered voters would not elect the buffoon in chief today.
1
RED ALERT!! We are in danger of losing control of our freedom and way of life! The GOP and Pres are lap dogs to totalitarian regimes. Our next election is going to be high jacked just like in Russia with blatant ballot box stuffing, polling station closings and intimidation just like in third world countries.
I see it coming but don’t know what to do about it. Do you?
1
"Great job Vlad. Congrats on your big win. And by they way, I thought you really showed that no count traitor who's boss. Which brings me to this stormy problem I have here that you might be able to help me with...."
Only two possibilities left, and they are not mutually exclusive: Putin owns Trump and Trump wants Putin's help, again, in 2018 and 2020. We have a traitor in the White House.
4
I am now convinced. Trump is either in the pay of the Kremlin or simply a "useful idiot" but Putin has an agent in the White House. Collusion is almost immaterial. What is material is patently obvious obstruction of justice, dereliction of duty and treason. If Republicans in Congress don't act now they too are guilty of all three crimes.
4
congress needs to award a commssion as a three star general to trump. then it will be clear where the USA is in 2018.
Trump is enamored with Putin; the Russian dictator is thrilled to have Trump as his puppet. Trump should do the United States a huge favor and pack his bags, grab his humiliated wife and neglected child and defect to Moscow, where he can concentrate on building the hotel he has always dreamed about.
3
Remember Obama’s “Apology Tour” and the Republicans response? Now we have the American groveler, Donald Trump and his Putin crush. Where are Paul and Mitch’s?
2
It's hard to briefly describe just how bad a guy Putin is. He's a monster and our enemy. There's also no doubt that Trump is under Putin's thumb.
Donald "The Traitor" Trump is going to end up in jail before this is over.
1
There are people in Russian and elsewhere who still regard the U..S. as their last best hope for a free life.
When Trump congratulates Putin, he lessens that hope.
1
The Manchurian candidate, could it be any plainer? Maybe not brainwashed, but definitely compromised and being blackmailed.
1
Can we now agree that it is beyond time to remove trump and his comrades for sake of this nation.
His crimes have hollowed the constitution and the laws of the land. His lack of morals is forever a blemish upon the land.
Impeach trump.
1
How nice. I think of the joke about professional sharks and lawyers, and conflicts in how either operate...... but mostly apathy until at least tump is gone
1
The current occupant of the White House lauds Putin's 're-election' and the ex-CIA chief says maybe Putin has something on him.
Gee. Do you think?
2
Trump better suck up to Putin because he's going to be looking for a job soon. Wouldn't it be crazy if Trump flew to Moscow on Air Force One and claimed political asylum to avoid any and all prosecutions here in the states? Would I be surprised? Not at all!
Conservatives online frequently refer to liberals as communists while the family that runs their party makes their products in a communist nation while congratulating communist dictators on winning their sham elections. Right. And Obama was the anti-Christ who was going to suspend elections and take away everyone's guns.
15
Sadly, these poor people live under a dictatorship of their own serving! They have choices while the Russians have none. It is that they have eaten Putin's poison that they prefer him to a republic. Sorta like the sad sacks who fell for Caesar's bad acts. See ya at the forum, Brutus.
1
USSR fell. It's not communist anymore. Neither is China.
Apparently no one is better at consolidating Putin's base as well as folks like John McCaine, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson ...
Did Putin again volunteer his services to work together to fix internet hacking? That fact that Trump mentioned that after their last meeting has to be the biggest show of Trump's stupidity or naivete.
8
Like Putin hasn't got those 50 million profiles and the voter rolls in electoral districts to line them up for him.
1
Great. He's happy for a guy who poisons people.
14
Did Obama remind Putin about all his wrong doing when he called to congratulate him. You guys cry wolf so often Trump can do anything now and no one would ever believe it.
That’s nonsense, Harry. There’s no comparison between Obama‘s approach to Russia and Trump‘s approach. If you don’t see that Trump is under the sway of Mr. Putin, you are blind.
2
This is a false equivalence you are asserting with pretty shaky facts. Obama, as president, pursued a foreign policy of reconciliation with Russia under Medvedev. Once Putin stole the election, the administration began pulling back. Trump on the other hand, in opposition to his advisors and own stated policies as well as the entire world intelligence community, has praised Putin for how well he perpetuated election fraud. Pretty different situations even with a cursory review of the facts.
3
None so deaf as those that will not hear. None so blind as those that will not see.
I am not a Trump fan but the hypocrisy of the left and the over reaction to everything he does make the real foolish actions blend in to the constant noise of the left. Pick your fights better.
Interesting... The British are claiming that Putin's government is responsible for poisoning 2 people in England with an exotic nerve agent. And the Donald is, yet again, showing himself to be Vladimir's poodle and doing wonders to alienate our allies.
12
This is what it looks like to be rolled by Putin. The obvious conclusion is that the large unknown conflict of interests that Trump has and refuses to divulge does involve Putin at some level. Trump is behaving like a Russian troll.
9
Trump must have no character, nor courage.
He is so frightened of what Putin has over him, he is making himself look like a traitor just trying to stay seated!
He's obviously a shady dealer, a security risk and cheating husband, so what else could Putin have on him? I think he's threatened Trump with poison, myself. All these events are meant to keep him in line for Putin.
1
Putin owns Trump. If they were smart, Trump and Putin would 'pretend' fight though they both would be in on the joke because it is just so obvious the extreme knowtowing from the White House Puppet to the Kremlin Boss.
I always wonder why Americans who love the Second Amendment above all else seem to consider Putin so great, such a 'strong' leader. Russian citizens cannot have guns. There is no Second Amendment in Russia. But, oh, boy, don't the Republican voters just love Putin. I've never understood that.
Please! Republicans!!! Get rid of this un-American man. He loves Putin more than he loves America. It's obvious. He's not protecting us. Not at all. How can they let it go on and on like this?
9
Apparently he was given a written statement and told not to congratulate Putin IN BOLD
What’s a puppet to do??
3
It's as though he does not want to offend Putin so that he can build a Trump Tower in Moscow! (sic). His business above ours!
4
The world wants PEACE. Trump& Putin can make it happen. No need to mess with a country that has thousands of nuclear weapons and hydro sonic cruise missiles. It is only those characters in the "deep state" that want conflict because of past "grievances" . They need to thank the Red Army for defeating the Nazi's and preventing the total extinction of the tribe.
If Putin wanted peace he would stop propping up Assad in Syria and the killing of thousands of innocent civilians. He wants power.
If Trump wanted peace he would not sell the Saudis massive amounts of weapons to continue a campaign against the impoverished nation of Yemen. He wants money.
These men do not care about peace anymore than they care about the working man. Stop deluding yourself.
1
Appeasing tyrants only invites further aggression. While we applaud the heroism and sacrifice of the Red Army, we cannot ignore the fact that Stalin's boot replaced Hitler's on the throat of millions with similar results for the people in question.
1
I wonder how thankful the citizens of Poland, Czeslovokia, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria are for Stalin’s concern for them. BTW, the Nazis fought on two fronts. But perhaps Putin’s schools skipped over that part in history class.
"...President Trump...congratulated President Vladimir V. Putin...on his recent re-election victory, but failed to ask him about either the fairness of the Russian vote...or about allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election....
"...Mr. Trump also did not raise Russia’s apparent role in a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil...
Couldn't - momentarily - figure out what you folks were smoking up there in the op-ed conference room, thinking anyone ever elected or vying for US president would be tone-deaf enough to even think about raising such topics as one leader to another, in a congratulatory call...
..............
So -in the spirit of civility and comity and Comey-ey, let me reciprocate with an equally contemplatable multiversal outcome...
A scoop...A story sensationale...A settled sound-bite...
As I now understand things, if Brennan's recording of the conversation is played backwards - Trump can be distinctly heard telling Putin that he's (Trump's) going to have more flexibility after the 2024 US elections...
Breitbart won't touch the story - but you don't have much time...
Hearing that Hannity's going to endorse Trump for a third term, on his show tonight...
A final note - McCain did ask if this could be heard with the tape playing normally, if the listener just sat backward in their chair...
1
I coming in late on this, but it occurred to me that your headline should read, "Trump Congratulates Putin, AND Doesn't Mention Meddling in U.S."
“Branch manager congratulates boss” More appropriate headline. You’re welcome....... no need to thank me......
2
I suppose everyone would be aghast to read the Obama white house archives showing a press secretary release from March 9, 2012 entitled "Readout of the President's Call with President-Elect Putin." The two of them appeared to have had a very positive phone call !!!
"President Obama called Russian President-Elect and Prime Minister Putin to congratulate him on his recent victory"......
Yes, and amazingly the circumstances **6 years ago** in 2012 were exactly as they are today! Russia recently had interfered in our elections and those of our allies in Europe, it was just discovered that they had hacked into our electrical and water supply computer grid, a few months prior they had 'accidentally' killed members of our military in Syria, AND they had just tried to murder two former Russian spies on British soil (the UK is our friend and ally, btw) with an exotic nerve agent that only they possess!
But everyone, by all means please keep trotting out your 'but Obama' arguments every time this president does or says something corrupt, treasonous or just plain stupid.
2
I don’t remember rampant Russian interference with out elections prior to that, the poisoning of a former spy on the soil of one of our closest allies, or rumors of collusion between Obama and Putin. That has been recently, has it not?
Nice try though.
2
It’s no big deal when Obama congratulates Putin for his election but a crime when President Trump does it.
CBS's Mark Knoller reports:
Pres. Obama phoning congratulations from AF-1 to Pres-elect Vladimir Putin of Russia. US President Barack Obama speaks after touring Rolls-Royce Crosspointe engineering plant in Prince George, Virginia. Obama called Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his election win, despite earlier US concern over reported vote irregularities.
In hindsight that call looks questionable. But that was when we were trying to maintain "even-handed" relations with Putin. You should remember that we had no evidence in 2012 that Russia was meddling in our elections. Now we do.
2
Typical of a Russian Troll. False equivalence arguments.
Trump is a traitor. The Russians have information about him that will end his time in office and take down his business. Mueller already knows what that information is and Trump in his twisted brain thinks that firing Mueller would put a stop to the revelation -- as if every person working with Mueller doesn't know the truth about Trump and his Russian connection and has the documentation to prove it.
7
All know now he is a marginalized figure, so really who cares what this lightweight thinks?
Maybe Mr. Trump wants to reset the Russia-US paradigm and declines to follow protocol of the past...
More likely he has been compromised by the Russians financially or sexually and can exert no pressure in the relationship.
To congratulate a dictator on a stolen election is pure stupidity and telegraphs utter weakness.
In the end, Mr. Trump likely has a personality disorder of Oppositional Defiant Disorder where if someone tells him to do X, he does the opposite. It is common.
6
trump is fueled by the stench he intentionally creates.
4
The president of the USA had no right to speak of “shared interests” with Russia since there aren’t any. By so doing he is not speaking for America and he is Not our president. He should shut up.
6
I think our "Dear Leader" is in thrall to "Vlad the Impaler" and is afraid of antagonizing him. The ex-spy poisoned in the U.K. was a warning to Manafort and to our "Dear Leader", in my opinion, that Vlad can reach out and get them any time he wants to do it. Trump is a coward. One man's opinion.
4
He is not fit to be President, he favors Putin over our country ..he must go.
7
We don’t have a president we have a puppet sitting in an empty office tweeting nonsense to distract us for the next three years. There are no good people, there is no policy being discussed, the needs of the American people ignored while chaos around the world and at home grows. All of this is happening while democrats complain but are powerless to do anything. The republicans who have control over all three branches could do a lot but are silent, complicit and responsible.
Vote them out Nov 6th.
13
Remember that photo of Obama staring down Putin at the G20 summit? Compare and contrast.
12
Clearly a cover up of immense proportions is being perpetrated by trump himself and his henchmen. It's becoming increasingly obvious that Putin won trump the election and of course expects pay back. There’s a general realization looming on the horizon spreading far and wide that effectively we have a criminal imposter in the White House ... in truth a tragically unprepared and dangerously unprincipled ‘fake’ president who is an unabashed leech and an unrepentant liar.
8
When will Trump's press secretary finally refer to President Trump as Comrade Trump?
6
Russia attacks NATO and the Free World looks to America for leadership and Trump's response is to nuzzle Putin.
7
Why would a President who fires more than half his staff which he picked because they are not saying what he thinks and calls them childish names, then laud our most dangerous adversary? There is something wrong with him.
It's more than stupidity. It's more than incompetence.
8
trump treats our true allies with disrespect, but for some unknown reason to those of us who actually care, he seems to think highly of dictators. I think its because they have a power/control over there people and entire country that trump would like to have. for sure he would like to control our media, so they would only say nice and flattering things about him. maybe he wants to hand down the control to one of his offspring, like they do in North Korea.
6
Anyone who lives by stepping on weak people is oppositely but just as extremely subservient to strong people.
Isn't there a legal definition for "adhering to America's enemies" and "giving aid and comfort to the enemy?"
7
There is a deep state, is the donor class their will be done!
1
Trump's merely doing what a good employee should, kissing up to the boss.
4
So funny, anti Putin hysteria is through the roof these days. Why are they so afraid of Putin? Maybe cause its not so easy to invade insubordinate Russia and spread democracy there?
But hey, dogs will keep on barking
1
fear is big business.
and you wonder how we get there?
Obama did the same thing in 2012
Ah, the old 'Obama did...' argument whenever this president does something corrupt, treasonous or just plain stupid.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but in 2012 Putin wasn't meddling in ours and our ally's elections, hadn't just tried to assassinate two Russian enemies on our ally's soil with a rare and deadly nerve gas agent, hadn't just been re-elected yet again in a sham election, hadn't accidentally killed members of our military in Syria a few months prior... shall I go on?
Michael, did we have evidence in 2012 that Russia was meddling in our elections and was hacking into our power grid? We didn't then. We do now.
Vladimir Putin is a spy. In turning Donald Trump as an assett, he has hit the motherload. He's the first Russian spy to compromise a sitting America President in Donald Trump. And a compromised POTUS will do whatever Vlad needs him to do.
Our democracy gets short changed each time Putin wants him to pay up
Sickening, scary and very real
5
Trump also forgot to mention that Putin has never looked better with the new injectables fillers.
2
With his continued ignorance of the "t" holds, he called putin to congratulate him.......I thought I was watching a SNL skit.
The way he idolizes putin, one comes to the conclusion that he ( putin ) must have something on "t".
3
CORRECTION...........the word JOB was omitted....should read, with his continued ignorance of the JOB "t" holds, etc.
How do you call Vlad to congratulate him without teasing him about their not being another choice on the ballot?
4
"Shared interests" probably includes money laundering for Russian oligarchs.
3
Putin's slave in the White House lavishes even more praise on a shrinking aging despot who stole the election with bags of fake ballots and the elimination of the real winner Navalny. While the US GOP loves Putin's slave and refuses to follow even one law by removing and jailing the slave.
1
If HRC had won back in 2016 and was brown-nosing Putin like Trump is doing now, we could expect all manner of hysterics and vein-popping outrage from the Right.
6
shared interests - DIRTY MONEY
2
Don't we all know by now how Trump's brain works?
If his advisers didn't want him to congratulate Putin they should have just told him that OBAMA called Putin in 2012.
Methinks the Republican enablers may have bumbled onto something. I think they would love to get rid of Trump at this point. They got their big tax cuts and Trump might be more of a hindrance when it comes to gutting social programs to pay for them. Solution? Don't pass anything to protect Mueller and instead warn Trump NOT to fire him. BINGO!
Trump's silence on Russia's involvement in US elections is treason. It also gives the Russians permission to keep on doing it. And this is OK with his "supporters"?
3
How else can Trump win again?
We have incontrovertible evidence that Putin only won because Donald Trump hacked the Russian balloting process.
Trump congratulated Putin against the advice of his aides because Putin is calling the shots. Putin's Puppet.
3
Why aren't people upset that Angela Merkel called Putin to congratulate him on the phone?
Just about all that matters is GOP voter support for Trump. It has been oscillating around 80 since the inauguration. It was 82 last week.
http://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-...
If that doesnt fall precipitously, nothing will change. Trump fires Mueller? Nothing will happen.
But for the love of god, dont even THINK of challenging any friend or family member who still supports Trump in any way, shape, tone, or form. That would be mean—plus, we all know Trump voters tend to challenge biases themselves, read and watch widely, and all that. So the arc will bend automatically—no need to muss your hair up.
Oh, but if Id been in Germany in the 30s? Dude, Idve totally taken on the SA—wooses. What was wrong with those Good Germans? Good thing we live in the home of the brave and land of the free.
The truly frightening issue in all this Trump-O'Mania is what will it take to get this utterly incompetent Russian Puppet out of the White House before he does something really insane?
1
I wonder what Putin has on The Donald that is so bad that this guy would sell out his country because of it?
3
Is there any question now that Trump is totally unfit to be the President of the United States? Have we ever had a president who so willingly yields to an adversary whose politics are so alien, so foreign from that which our Founding Fathers envisioned and codified in our Declaration of Independence where "these truths" were found to be "self evident"?
The man is a total fraud and impeachment hearings should be started pronto. How much longer must we endure this insufferable clown as the elected leader of the "free world"? If anything, Trump has been shown to favor quite the opposite -- that of someone who endorses a top-heavy, autocratic style of governance. He is willingly and consciously doing the work of Putin.
He has single-handedly lowered our reputation and leadership position around the world in record time and in ways that are shocking. He is effectively "Putin's Puppet" -- an empty headed wooden clown whose values and ambitions remain somewhat of a toxic mystery.
If the Republicans in Congress don't stand up to this traitor, they will be excoriated at the polls in November, as they should. Countless numbers of our citizen soldiers have given their lives on the battlefields of history in order to preserve and protect our freedom and independence and now this five-time deferment fraud in our White House has tossed all that aside like yesterday's newspaper!
Impeach Trump Now!!!
3
The White House has certainly fallen far since the occasion of Barack Obama sitting down for a beer with Professor Henry Gates . . .
I am not a reporter just a 70 something man. How stupid do lawmakers think Americans are? If one can Google then one can find all of Thumps' Russian connections. I think it should have been required reading on how his TV show gave birth to the billionaire myth. For some reason American voters need to believe Trump is a rich billionaire. He is a con man. Most of his real estate holdings are not his. Republicans are accepting of his lies. The middle class is paying for his 20 million dollar tax break...no rage. Millions of Americans will be uninsuired..no rage. Guns are still being sold ,make that assault weapons..no rage. The USA is considered a non world leader..no rage. His cabinet spends like drunken sailors...no rage. His secretaries know nothing, Carson could not get any more entitled..no rage. I have no solution, at 70 plus I could care less. I get a huge tax break, thanks middle class just sayin'
1
What's the problem? So what if Trump congratulates Putin on triumph? There is no need to discuss meddling, that is the point here. This call is to congratulate another world leader on his success. Trump and Putin are winners, bother chosen by their people to lead them. They are not looers like others who shall go unnamed.
2
Mass media pundits must feel proud reading such comment section - the mission is well accomplished ...
2
One can only imagine what Putin has on Trump that could bring Trump crashing down, both personally related to finances, and as a president, who appears for all intents and purposes to be a traitor hanging on Putin's coattails.
As a business consultant, when my client does not act upon my advice, that means my relationship is over. I fail to understand why aides to the president continue to give advice when it is ignored. The honourable next step is to resign their position.
1
Defending the Republic from clear and present danger used to be common ground for both parties. Now it seems, one party favors a foreign power to help it gain complete control of it. Sad indeed.
1
They used to say "Ceasar's wife must not only must be chaste she must also look it". It seems Trump is hellbent on showing the opposite is true with his "presidency" and is taking America's image to the gutter he wallows. I dont think generarions of Americans have sacrificed so much to have the President kneel at the altar of this dangerous dictator.
2
That's his master, people, what did you expect?
I said it before, I say it again (without any expectation that it will sink in).
A formal congratulatory call to another head of state is part of diplomatic protocol. Nothing more and nothing less.
Whatever grievances you may have with that country and its policies can and should be discussed separately.
Time and place, folks. Time and place.
1
No one is better at consolidation of Putin's base than John McCain, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson.
1
At least the ueber-autocrat at the helm of the Russian Federation allowed election observers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) to be present.
During our last general election, red states did not allow them to do the same here.
As to the call by Ms. Merkel to Putin, she is fluent in Russian and most certainly didn't butter up to him, whereas our Dotard - the one who brags that he doesn't read - did in fact not even pay attention to the all caps cards in his daily security report.
2
Trump is the most unpatriotic and dangerous man we have ever seen in the White House. His behavior cries out for impeachment.
Dear Donald- resign. Do the right thing for the United States, stop the rolling train of controversies included but not limited to: collusion, campaign finance violations, and the salacious news with porn stars and playmates. The degradation of United States by your hand is more than enough.
At some point, even you have to recognize if you want to salvage your family and business, the only safe conclusion is to go back New York. It is not going to get any better for anybody, except of course Putin.
1
There is nothing wrong with trump congratulating putin because a liar is going to heap praise on his fellow liar. Until the republicans except the fact that trump must go things are only going to get worst. Neither of these men have respect for the American way of life.
1
Hi Vlad
Here's my plan for a nuclear arms deal we can both agree on.
You keep building warheads and we scrap ours.
What do you think?
1
Trump congratulationing Putin is like the Mafia families congratulating each other. It means nothing. It is Trump’s way of distracting us from all of the scandles and lies he is involved in.
Trump talks out of both sides of his mouth. Right now he is pretending to be diplomatic. Tomorrow will be another show. Tune in.
1
Of course he did. He wasn't thinking about how the call might be perceived around the world or how it might affect Putin's actions toward the U.S. He's thinking that establishing a personal relationship with Putin might enhance his chances of finally getting that Trump Tower Moscow when he's out of office (or maybe even before). He probably feels sanctions by "his administration" only make him look more accommodating personally. When wondering about Trump's motives for something. always go with whatever benefits his ego or wallet.
Trump is Putin's poodle.
(There is a more bluntly disparaging synonymous term I could have used instead of "poodle", but it is sexist, so I will refrain.)
The Electoral College as a means of subverting majority rule is becoming an American form of Putinocracy.
The only way that we can prevent this in the future is by supporting Senate and Congressional candidates who will support a Constitutional amendment for direct election of the President and Vice President, as well as state legislative candidates who will support ratification of such an amendment.
http://www.nycbar.org/pdf/report/SFX101.pdf
1
Those that TheRump clearly admires and fawns over include Putin, Netanyahu, the young Saudi prince, the Egyptian and Turkish presidents.... in short..... all the bad actors. This has to stop.
What a disgrace.
Obama congratulated the Iranian leader, the Turkish dictator and the Muslim brotherhood and you never called him out on those, so why the bid deal now?
Oh I forgot, Its all about the Trumpster-isnt it?
1
"Re-elected this week,' what joke...only our President doesn't get it.
1
Trump called Hilary traitor and so many things for the private server. I wonder what would she call him now and in the future after full revelation of the collusion. Traitor plus or super traitor.
Trump should be tried for TREASON
He thinks he is above the law and above the vow he took to uphold the
Constitution.
Trump and his family are all traitors to the Constitution of this country.
They are traitors to the gallant service men and women and police they seem to drape themselves with when they have a public talk and the Media Loves it.
2
The puppet congratulating the puppet master is not news.
Is a puppet capable of anything else?
It’s no longer news that 40% of the America supports Putin’s puppet as our President while Putin revives the Soviet Union, has his country under full KGB-style ruthless control, has Stalinist or Czarist type popularity - the overwhelming majority of Russians support Putin’s ruthless rule and kleptocracy; those who dare to oppose are crushed or killed (even if living in UK, using chemical weapons) - openly and continually attacks US and the West.
But it is still horrifying to 60% of Americans.
Vote in 2018 and 2020. Vote in every election.
1
Oh come on...the haircut is telling 'us' he's guilty! What else do 'we' need to do to save democracy? Act now...vote the GOP out!
1
Next time, his advisors should write, "DON'T FORGET TO CONGRATULATE" and "AVOID ALL MENTION OF POISON GAS" on his crib cards.
2
The headline should be: ''Trump Congratulates Putin on Re-Election, AND Fails to Mention Meddling in U.S. Elections''. Trump is a Russian Agent. Time to wake up, America.
So all McConnell could see in the Russian elections was 'a lack of credibility in tallying the results.'
No it wasn't. It was a case of one credible opponent being imprisoned on trumped-up charges and another being shot to death on a bridge.
What a mealy-mouthed sycophant this McConnell is. And what a disgrace to the nation. He should go; and go now.
1
At a time when the U.S. and the West are literally at war with Vladimir Putin's Russia--not just with words and cyber attacks, but actual chemical weapons, all that comes to mind over President Trump's continual fawning over Mr. Putin is the famous comment by Mister Kurtz in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," "The horror! The horror!" It's beyond despicable to the point of indicating collusion and complicity in some as yet unknown horror.
77
Yes. The horror. Turning against ourselves, suddenly with a stolen Supreme Court seat and an aberrant election we are in a civil cold war, with elected members of Congress and a President, defiant of the rule of law and aligned with a hostile foreign dictator. This has been a long time coming and a long time allowed. I smell money behind it. Very big money.
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
....
"And what rough beast, its hour come at last,
Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?" (Yeats)
Who started the "war"? Who moved NATO into the area of the Warsaw Pact after promising not to do it?
Trump's man crush on Putin would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic.
16
Disgusting. This is what an actual feckless leader looks like. Take note all those who misused the term on Obama.
15
John MC Cain is right.
16
Trump is either a Putin sycophant, a complete fool or both.
The evidence that he is in Russia's pocket mounts by the day.
19
Putin, Un, Duarte, Xi, Mugabe and Trump should have a soiree at Mara-Lago to compare notes on autocracy.
6
Will everyone that is surprised, please raise your hand.....................
4
This date in U.S. History
1861: US President Abraham Lincoln congratulated Jefferson Davis on being elected to a 6-year term as President of the Confederate States despite the warnings from multiple national security advisers and briefing materials that said "DO NOT CONGRATULATE.”
1938: US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt congratulated Adolph Hitler on his election as German Chancellor despite the warnings from multiple national security advisers and briefing materials that said "DO NOT CONGRATULATE.”
1958: US President Dwight David Eisenhower congratulated Nikita Khrushchev on his election by the Supreme Soviet as Premier – thus formally recognizing him as the undisputed leader of the USSR – despite the warnings from multiple national security advisers and briefing materials that said "DO NOT CONGRATULATE.”
8
JLS: The vast difference between congratulations offered by Lincoln, Roosevelt and Eisenhower and those by Trump is that the first three decisively also acted in our nation’s best interest and protected our national security when it came to the enemies they congratulated. Trump has consistently denied or ignored Putin’s wrongdoing, and is either complicit in or in deep denial (due to his narcissism) about Russia’s act of cyberwar in helping him get elected. His failures to even mention Russia’s attack on our electoral process, its chemical attack launched against a former spy on foreign soil, and the video evidence of vote tampering in Russia are mind boggling. Plus, we all know his style. If Trump weren’t in thrall to Putin, his “congratulations” would have been a snarky taunt. “Hey, Vlad, congrats on winning - stuffing the ballot box works every time.” “Hey, Puty, how much free vodka did it take to bribe your voters?”
1
Dear J
My fault I fear.
I was offering a bit of satire – as none of those esteemed Presidents that I mentioned offered any such congratulatory appeasement to the nation’s enemies.
Those were Honorable Presidents.
And those other guys weren't being congratulated shortly after attacking the very fabric of the United States, insidiously - with inside help, ongoing, and also attempting to murder a man and his daughter, two citizens of our greatest ally - on their soil.
I cannot begin to say how embarrassing this move is to the United States, MY country. We do not support Russia, nor its documented meddling in the US elections.
Can any GOP member, besides a few, stand against this lunacy? You are all cowards.
Putin has been playing that sycophant Trump for years.
12
One disgraceful fake president talking to another. Alas, one of them is ours.
10
Well, the brain washing(via media) in the US is enormous. When you finally consider that you are not alone in this planet then you start begin to understand (as humans) another countries.
Nowadays you are only a “customers”, “consumers”, not people. For the money are your policies able to killing nations.
The US are problem this planet, not any another country. This is the global problem, not the Trump and yours idiotic „democratic“ fights
that you spreading in all over the world. Keep focus on your own problems inside US and let the world be. You are not world cops now anymore, you know.
2
While Slovakia is rated much higher than the U.S. on the 2017 Press Freedom Index, you have a problem with your head of state, as well. We all need to be worried: "In Slovakia, defamation is punishable by up to eight years in prison, making it the harshest penalty for this offense in the European Union. Many legal actions against journalists have been brought by businessmen, politicians, and judicial officials. Prime Minister Robert Fico, who initiated several of these lawsuits during his first term, often loses his temper with journalists. When asked about a corruption case during a news conference in November 2016, he described several journalists as “filthy anti-Slovak prostitutes” and then refused to apologize. His outburst was typical of the growing hostility that politicians display towards journalists."
1
Watching a bio of Arthur Miller this moment and Joesph McCarthy just came on the screen as I opened this story .....Oh the Irony!
"Are you now or have you been a member of the....."
The Manchurian Canditate is on the WH ...and we do.....nothing!
8
Occam's Razor holds that the simplest answer to a question is probably the best answer. To me, the simplest reason for Trump's sucking up to Putin is that Putin has something on him.
15
Trump is a coward pure and simple. He never fires anyone face to face like a dignified and honourable man. He is scared of Putin and will never say anything to his face. He criticizes Obama but at least that man told him to his face to “knock it off”. Trumps character flaws are correlated. A liar, a philanderer, avarice and a coward.
14
Porn stars, dictators, and other con artists. The fake President is only friends with the finest people.
10
Trump is considered an idiot but he seems to be the only person in the US who realizes how stupid it is to pick a quarrel with a tough guy who has control over 4000 nuclear weapons at the ready.
And for what? That 13 Russians used the Facebook?
Give me a break!
2
Also Juncker and May congratulated Putin
2
Juncker did - to great criticism in the EU parliament- but I would like your source for May doing so? I haven’t seen that anywhere, and if true the left here would be giving it as much publicity as possible and shouting it from the rooftops.
I believe Merkel and Macron “wished success” but avoided congratulations. Of May, there’s no mention.
Trump's a very stupid man.
It's outrageous that he flaunts his undiscriminating worship of the murderer Vladimir Putin.
But Trump's hero worship is so far outside the norm that he has no idea how clueless he is.
This is an interesting point to make while arguing that this moronic behavior is why Trump is going to have to resign and may go to jail.
2
It is painfully obvious that Putin owns Trump. Putin is Trump’s Daddy.
5
Trumps only goal is to build a gaudy hotel in Moscow and St. Petersburg Russia. Whatever he does, he does not want to screw this goal of his up.
Being Presidential takes a back seat to this. Wow! How sad.
3
Why would 45 read a briefing report? A picture book is even too much for him.
11
One ill-gotten demagogue to another.
4
Trump is afraid of Putin and recently glorified the Chinese leader and said he was glad he will be their lifetime dictator. Trump and the GOP are a poor role models for Democracy.
10
While it does take some nerve to use use nerve poison in London, the president trumps even Putin’s colossal nerve by displaying his loyalty to Putin, load and clear, for all to see.
I await with bated breath and unabated enthusiasm, President Trumps defection to Russia.
If there’s room on the boat, he should take as many of his traitor buddies along with him as will fit.
10
One word comes to mind -- Kompromat.
12
Trump wants to be Putin in the USA and cannot understand why their are factions in this country that oppose this. Trump wants to be like Duarte and kill those who would oppose him as drug dealers. He wants to be just like Erdogan and is quickly dismantling any US institution that might offer an alternate perspective on the matter. Trump wants to be like Xi Jinping and be president for life. Trump is not stupid. He may be intentionally ignorant or disinterested in certain options that serve his limited agenda. In psychiatry that is called a personality disorder. Plenty of smart people rise to success of a sort despite strategies which do not necessarily embrace larger understanding of the longer term consequences of being unfair or dishonest or immoral or selfish. He does not appreciate how reducing diversity or silencing alternate intelligent voices will have dire consequences in the long term. He just wants instant gratification and to protect at any cost a view of himself as uniquely capable... and deserving of the love of his father, without challenging any deeper insight in the dark shortcomings of his father's worldview. The world must be a shallow, infantile, materialistic place to be aligning and/or allowing themselves to be deceived by these monsters. But this is what you get when you allow selfish children rule the world.
12
Trump, as is usual, exhibited his continued cowardice toward Putin by wishing him well in his sham election despite recent criticisms of Russia for nerve gas usage and the incontrovertible facts of their meddling in the 2016 presidential elections.
Putin certainly recognizes Trumps’s pussyfooting and no doubt holds little respect for him and his perpetual speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
On the other hand I doubt Putin really cares about all the criticism from other Western Leaders at all. Trump wants his respect but clearly he does not have a clue about gaining it. Schwarzenegger would call Trump a “girly man” and he is.
5
Why is this a problem? I have absolutely no love for Trump but this country seems to forget what Obama did six years prior.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/03/09/obama-congratulates-putin-for-electi...
2
Lots of water under the bridge since then - like Crimea, Poisonings, Syrian interference, blatant interference in elections, etc
10
I suspect Trump doesn't care if the election was free or fair Trump admires the deceit and tricks Putin used to win. Sorry Trump and Trumpism are a disease of the American soul.
7
Trump does not take advice. Trump issues his advice to "stupid" people, which to him is everyone, aside of Putin and himself.
3
A thug always have to show deference to the mafia boss who pulls the strings. Putin's almost comical video game animation pointing nuclear missiles to Mar-a-Lago is his "dead horse head in a bed" moment. Its only purpose was to remind Trump that Putin's got the kompromats on him. Trump got the message and calls to show deference, but makes the mistake of not getting the point by saying he's got a bigger arsenal than Putin. That's a bad move in the underworld into which Trump dragued America.
5
Look at the front page of any national newspaper then ask yourself if Trump has made America great again.
5
Well, Trump has made America “grate” again if that is any consolation.
Gotta tell the boss, "congrats!"
4
Will Trump try to flee to Russia before the Mueller Ax falls ? Were the recent assassinations of Russians in England a "message" to Trump from Putin? Crazy ideas but these are crazy, scary times.
3
By definition, half the voters are dumber than average. Trump is addressing this part of the voters. Seems to be working.
7
Be grateful Comrades, that the Kremlin announced the call. We probably would never know otherwise.
Smell the smoke? Hear the fiddles?
8
In congratulating Putin, Trump also stressed his profound and eternal gratitude for Russia support during his financial dealings and for his election. He thanked Putin for not releasing the golden showers tapes. He then went on to say that Fox News plans a programming in Russian language to teach their viewers how to speak Russian. He also said that evangelical churches and rural communities plan the same, but lack teachers of Russian language so he begged Putin to send teachers our way, ideally blondes models with plus size bra. Putin suggested that Trump tap the Mercers, Koch brothers, Adellson and similar to fund summer camps in Russia for Americans to come enjoy Russia, so as to foster Russia - GoP brotherhood. They then agreed to exchange views how to remain in power forever and to become billionaires while in power. Putin also said that Trump has a better haircut than Kim Jong Un.
4
And if the Kremlin orders a cyberattack that shuts down U.S. power grids and the CIA pinpoint the attack on Russia, how will Trump react? Defend Russia and Putin, deflect and suggest the attack came from a 400 lb guy in his mom’s basement?
Our current President admires a ruthless and murdering dictator, hates U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
It certainly appears that Trump is being blackmailed by the Kremlin.
11
Who ever thought that Russia would take over our country by going through the White House - tragic!
7
And this is what treasonous behavior looks like - it is so horrendous that this is our president - but hopefully not for long!
4
Trump is obviously in debt to Putin...as long as Putin is on his side, Trump’s messed up world is in good order....without Putin, Trump is totally compromised. He needs Putin in ways we can’t imagine.
2
Everyone is aware of how "legitimate" Russian elections are, we should say to the Russian people "we were happy tho help!"
1
The Trump haters is just having a great time. Trump will be criticized no matter what he does with Putin and Russia. Somehow there well be a way to spin back to the narrative that Trump is a total failure as a President. Unfortunately the hate is just widening the barrier to ever reconcile the political divide.
Tuesday, press secretary Sanders said, “What we do know is that Putin has been elected in their country, and that’s not something we can dictate to them how they operate.” Her hypocritical defense is as monumentally indefensible, just as much as Trump's con-game is blatantly obvious.
The cynical tone underlying this manufactured Trumpian tale reeks of the May 2017 Oval Office meeting with Russians Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Kislyak, where only Russian media were invited, American media barred, and Trump laughed-it-up with the Russians about "fake news."
. . . At one point, Mr. Trump jokingly asked whether there were reporters in the room. “No,” Mr. Lavrov said. “No fake media.”
Calling James Comey a "nut-job" at that meeting, Con-man Trump has once again unleashed an inevitable backlash that will wipe away all the smiling faces that think we are stupid, and that this is just one big joke.
Soon, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Trump will have to eat their words of double-speak. As lies continue to mount -- along with outrage -- the on-going charade will soon come to it's final dismal end.
6
Our president is being blackmailed by Putin....the bigger question is what does Putin have on the GOP who are letting this happen.
4
News reporters should check to see if Trump's phone call to V.Putin came after the Russian "election," or before.
1
Donald Trump will always find a new low. With Trump there is no bottom.
2
Hard to imagine that Putin doesn't have something over Trump. Trump appears to be nasty to everyone except Putin and Stormy...wonder why??
3
Keep your friends close... and your palladium + iridium-rich enemies closer.
2
Is it not time for Mr. Trump to be escorted OUT of the White House by the FBI—
As a national security threat.
[He has no business getting any daily briefing and is a clear and present danger.]
2
Could it be more obvious?
3
Aren't Trump's actions what Traitors do?
4
We have no shared interests with Russia. The president of the US is not speaking for America when he says we do. He is speaking for himself and his collusion with our enemy. We want Trump OUT of office!! Out
2
Let see our C.I.A has spent millions in european elections , they have try to murder Castro more then once. Then we have central and south America and the right wing generals we installed from Chile to Hounders . Next we have a select group that control out press and media ,they are a state with in a state . Was the catholic church involved is the U.S going to war in Vietnam ? Was American and British oil companies involved in Iraq and our meddling ? Has the C.I.A ever used drug money to fund a dirty little war ? We now have two billionaires running for governor in Illinois so much for democracy .
2
At some point we are all going to learn just what it is that Putin has on Trump. Compromising photos. Money laundering, something to do with underage women. Criminal activity. Who knows, but we all know it is there and when we finally see it we will all say, “I knew it had to be something big”.
2
We must vote this man out of office in 2020.
1
And vote all all of his congressional henchmen in 2018.
1
As someone living on the edge of the would-be war zone in a NATO vs Russia armed conflict, I can only say that I'm grateful for every move to keep things civilized.
The American neoconservative movement are a bunch of warmongers. They will not be content until every corner of the world is part of the international financial system, every natural resource is privatised and every government is on their payroll.
The Russians had to live through the ultraliberal nightmare during the 90s and they turned against it, as the rest of the world is slowly but surely coming round to doing now. Learn to live with it. Liberalism simply isn't popular. Most people like to live according to their old customs in states of relative income equality and liberalism doesn't provide that, never has.
The arguments against Putin are becoming ever more pathetic. Every liberal paper in the world is full of innuendo that their candidate of choice, Navalny, would have easily beaten Putin had he been allowed to run. In reality, he never polled above 4% before he was banned, and there were two other liberal candidates in the race including a seasoned one from the Yabloko party available for anyone who longed for a return to the 90s. What is also interesting is that Putin took 90% of the popular vote in Crimea, the territory we are supposed to be so upset that he invaded.
I'm definitely not willing to have my head blown off so that Khodorkovsky can have his oil wells back. Take that, NYT readers.
1
aren't you glad we have more than 800 military bases around the world to protect our way of lives?
NYT is just another mouthpiece for the entrenched MIC.
Trump is doing his very best to legitimize his good friend Putin, who just won an election where he kept the major opposition candidate off the ballot! Putin, who either caused or blessed the assassination of Nemtsov, a young opposition politician, right in front of the Kremlin!, Putin, who caused or blessed the nerve gas poisoning of a man and his daughter in Britain recently, Putin, whose people helped elect Donald, Putin whose soldiers shot down an airliner flying from Holland, Putin, who caused or blessed another murder in Britain using radioactive polonium, etc., etc.
What is the old saying?, 'You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their friends.'
1
Why are the Republicans protecting a president who is afraid of Vladimir Putin? Do the Republicans know what Putin has on the president? Are the Republicans prepared to accept the responsibility of shielding the president while he undermines the security of the United States of America? Are the Republicans cowards?
4
Well at least Vlad won the "popular" vote.
2
What else would you expect? Trump admires tyrants and autocrats. He does not understand that our system does not work that way. When he doesn't get his way, he whines about fake news and lashes out at people. He is unfit to lead anyone, let alone a democratic nation.
.
1
Trumps congratulations is another low for the Donald. What Exactly was he congratulating a rigged election. How low will America go. The American people should ask Donald. Maybe his admires Putin's ability to actually lock his opponents up. Watching America sick into the Trump Cesspit one day at a time.
1
Its not surprising that he ignored the "DO NOT CALL", message from his briefing team. After all, he ignored the "DO NOT RUN" message from his family, and "DO NOT CHEAT" from his wife.
2
Trump wants to be Putin in the USA and cannot understand why their are factions in this country that oppose this. Trump wants to be like Duarte and kill those who would oppose him as drug dealers. He wants to be just like Erdogan and is quickly dismantling any US institution that might offer an alternate perspective on the matter. Trump wants to be like Xi Jinping and be president for life. Trump is not stupid. He may be intentionally ignorant or disinterested in certain options if they don't serve his limited agenda. In psychiatry that is called a personality disorder. Plenty of smart people rise to success of a sort despite strategies which do not necessarily embrace larger understanding of the longer term consequences of being unfair or dishonest or immoral or selfish. He does not appreciate how reducing diversity or silencing alternate intelligent voices will have dire consequences in the long term. He just wants instant gratification and to protect at any cost a view of himself as uniquely capable... and deserving of the love of his father, without challenging any deeper insight in the dark shortcomings of his father's worldview. The world must be a shallow, infantile, materialistic place to be aligning and/or allowing themselves to be deceived by these monsters. But this is what you get when you allow selfish children rule the world. Refer to Lord of the Flies
1
Mr Trump is definitely in the running to win the next Neville Chamberlain Award for World Diplomacy.
1
Quote a short time ago from the honorable Sen. John McCain:
“An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections,” McCain wrote on Twitter. “And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election.”
3
Donald knows enough not to bite the hand that feeds him.
1
This trump-putin bromance is sketchy - Regan would be horrified.
Something non-legit is going on.
2
Feckless! Best term to describe Trumps response to Putin’s attacks. The republicans kept trying to use this word to describe President Obama, I couldn’t see how they described the man who terminated Bin Laden— the most notorious of terrorist American history and saved the auto industry and our economy with such demeaning terms. Useless, worthless, incompetent, good for nothing,lazy and inept seems to fit Trump and family far better than Obama.
1
Mistake! Mistake! Mistake!
Trump's own staff went into panic, because he was directed not to congratulate Putin on his rigged election "victory."
But Emperor Donald the Dumb either doesn't pay attention or doesn't care about the optics of his actions. The man who claimed he could murder someone on 5th Avenue and not lose support is not going to worry about once again toadying up to Putin.
We will soon see why Trump was so willing to ignore all the advice of his White House handlers to once again emerge as Putin's poodle.
3
The frightening facts that are rapidly coming to light today, regarding Cambridge Analytica, Facebook, the Trump Campaign...and Russia, confirms clearly in my mind, that the election of Donald Trump was planned, financed and executed as a result of very spurious, indeed probably illegal, circumstance, in terms of the resources used to target Trump potential voters with advertising and other campaigns through social media.
It has been obvious since day one of his term, that Trump is a very obnoxious, ill informed conman, indeed a simpleton, completely unqualified in every sense, to occupy the White House. The behavior of his family focusing solely on aggrandizing the business is simply outrageous. The British Government inquiries underway on Cambridge Analytica, it's CEO, and the revelations of the Canadian whistleblower, Christopher Wylie, will provide much more fodder for the Mueller investigation...if he doesn't already have that that information.
Trump's life long private activities as a complete degenerate, should disqualify him from a leadership role as President of the United States. The droves of women filing very credible complaints against him, are not wrong, as demonstrated today by the Courts. I only hope, along with my American friends and relatives, that Mueller can dispatch this pathetic man before the midterms. The world court of public opinion has already decided that Trump is an unfit liar, without any integrity at all...a complete embarrassment.
1
Putin is the most powerful man in the world, controlling both superpowers.
1
So, Corporal McBonespurs is so in Love with the military. Who knew? He just couldn’t find the time to go serve in Vietnam. Tough guy.
1
Trump, ever so supine, checks in with his handler to demonstrate his everlasting fealty.
1
Why is it acceptable to tar Trump with the brush of beyond-the-pale nefariousness for calling and congratulating Putin and regard Merkel's same call as diplomatic? Because Trump is President and the media never will desist in its loathing him.
1
I think you need to back up and get a complete copy of the words used by AM of Germany
I read the quote below by Bob Corker in the Washington Post today. I wonder if Bob is benefitting financially from Trump’s reign or maybe he is getting black mailed. It’s incredible that Bob is not going apoplectic over Trump’s totally inappropriate call to Putin.
“But Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, appeared less concerned, noting Trump has also offered congratulations to other leaders of more totalitarian states. “I wouldn’t read much into it,” Corker said.”
3
I have honestly come to the conclusion that Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States of America, is the agent of a hostile foreign power and therefore a traitor.
It is stupifying that I am putting these thoughts into words in the comment section of this country's paper of record with the reasonable expectation that the moderators will allow it to be published.
That is because thousands, perhaps millions, of other americans, including some of our most distinguished soldiers, have come to the same conclusion.
We cannot let this stand.
14
"Mr. Trump kept the focus of the call on what the White House said were “shared interests” .... such as: jailing political opponents so they can't run against you, securing an election via manipulating social media, and pretending to be worldly and intelligent while only possessing the inveterate skills of lying, cheating, and general subterfuge.
2
All polls, independent ones included pointed to an overwhelming Putin victory. The irregularities' effect was absolutely minimal and didn't affect the outcome.
The fact is that Putin - rightly, or wrongly - was and is very popular with the Russians. Navalny, Sobchak and the rest were and are dwarfs politically. Even if Navalny had been allowed to run, he wouldn't have dented Putin's lead and you know why? Because he had no policies; only a laundry list of what he's against, but nothing he is for.
Would you buy a used car from either of these guys were they on dealership row?
3
Trump reminds Putin about $700 billion in military hardware. Meanwhile Putin has directed cyberwarfare to undermine our elections and stands ready to take down the electrical grid. Trump is too old to be President; he thinks like a 1950s person.
3
Reagan was a Spring chicken, when elected, right?
Donald Trump can, unexpectedly, be polite sometimes, and from oe Head of State to another some politeness is not a bad thing.
That he "fails to mention meddling" is not such a surprise. Why mentioning something that is mainly a phantasy of disappointed losers?
I mean, should Muammar Ghadafi ever have mentioned the Panam tragedy over Lockerbie? Not really, just knowing about it from the newspapers.
Should Saddam Hussein have mentioned his Weapons of Mass Destruction? Not really - how would he know what's in the minds of Bill Clinton and other politicians of big brains but low moral standing.
So, if Donald congratulates Vladimir - why ever not?
And if Ms May had done so - with an apology for handing out punishments, before even the evidence is collected - well if she wants to look like the "Queen of Hearts' of 'Alice in Wonderland', that's her problem.
Our so-called "president's" actions continue to be bizarre. It is unbelievably offensive for trump to congratulate the man who has done great harm to our country by helping to elect trump. And yet, there is probably an underlying rationality to trump's actions. Unfortunately, there is much circumstantial evidence to support the theory that putin has something on trump. There is the potential, however, for great good to come out of the horrendous times in which we find ourselves. Oddly enough, if Hillary had won, the Republicans would still have controlled both houses, they would have blocked everything she tried to do, even if it was good for the country (think of a continuation of the Obama years), Democrats would be demotivated going into the midterm, Republicans would be fired up and would maintain control of both houses. Instead the reverse is happening - Democrats are fired up, Independents are swinging over to the Democrats, young people are fired up against republican policies and values, and some Republicans are apathetic. This takes us to a scenario where it is increasingly realistic that the Democrats could take control of the house and maybe even the Senate. So trump's administration is devastatingly damaging to our country in so many ways but us anti-trump people can take some solace in the fact that we will probably take back control over the asylum in November and will be able to restore some semblance of sanity to Washington.
3
Putin continues to play Trump like a fiddle. Notice how Russian sources got out the word on the congratulatory call before Trump could lie to us about it.
4
Meddling is a word too weak for an attack on our democracy.
4
It's one thing for Trump to contact Putin with a plea for Russia and the U.S. to significantly decrease our nuclear weapons buildup, but it's another entirely to congratulate this Pathological Scoundrel for his election victory, given that the election was rigged, and also that Putin doesn't deserve kudos.
Trump's incessant praise of Putin is that of a gang grunt of the gang's thuggish leader. Trump's endorsements are not only counterintuitive, they are also counterproductive in that they foster acceptance of (if not also fondness for) this International Criminal for whom "U.S. diplomacy" wholly means destroying the U.S.
If Trump may not have tag-teamed with Putin to meddle with the 2016 presidential election (of course, "the jury is still out" on this), Trump is doing the next worst thing: holding hands with a Serial Murder -- the worst kind of enemy of freedom and morality -- whose value to our national interests is a Big Fat Zero.
2
From one Pathological Scoundrel to another... It makes perfect sense
1
Clearly, there is an unholy alliance between Trump and his Russian handler. Trump is so afraid to confront Russia or even as much as voice a word of criticism. What is it that the Russians have over Trump? I can't believe the President of the most powerful country in the world could be a Manchurian candidate. We should watch out for other moves by Trump to appease the Russians because Putin will surely use blackmail to pry more concessions from Trump. This makes Mueller's investigation even more critical than ever. We must unearth what the Russians have over Trump.
4
Putin did mention Trump's meddling in the Russian Election and thanked him for helping. yeah probably.
1
The Donald feels a kinship to Vlad - that is obvious. Men like Putin, Trump, bin Salman consider themselves to be a very special fraternal group that exists above and beyond the rules and laws that apply to mere mortals. The Donald soooo wants to be accepted by the Plutocrats of the World, that he just cannot help but grovel before his wannabe brothers. Do not mae the mistake in believing that The Donald cares one iota about the welfare of his fellow Americans. The Donald's constituency are the other boys in his club.
3
Congratulating an anti-democratic regime and its tyrant that tries as hard as possible to subvert and undo democracy in the US while visciously attacking his own, the man of unquestioned integrity and career, the special council, in trying to preserve our democracy.
When will it be blindingly clear FOR ALL that he is a petty wanna-be dictator and would be happy to unleash unseen terror and bloodbath on dissenting voices, much like his mentor does?!?
3
Putin’s rigged election is as valid as Trump’s. By virtue of their shared corruption they have a common bond in criminality. Putin didn’t win in Russia except by coercion. Trump won with Russian money. Neither deserve praise. Both deserve jail time.
4
More evidence that trump cannot read even ALL CAPS. Perhaps internal briefings and security reports in the WH should be presented in the form of pictures.
2
We Americans are not interested in any kind of meeting between Trump and Putin. Putin is a dangerous man who delights in poisoning.
The president of the USA had no business calling Putin to congratulate him on his rigged victory. The so-called president of the US apparently does not speak for his own country but for our enemies. He should have been removed from office long ago. The Republican Party is suspect in supporting Trump—They too are very suspicious indeed.
1
Does this not constitute an issue of national security, especially given the state of play? McMaster, speak up, you're on the way out anyway!
Multiple authorities told him not to do it, but he has zero impulse control and doesn't like being told what to do. Oppositional Defiant Disorder? They should start treating him like the toddler that he is - tell him the opposite of what they want him to do and give him a McDonald's cheeseburger when he does the right thing.
1
Trump just admires a guy that knows how to fix a election.
Trump's skills in the diplomatic arena are notably lacking. Another deficit to be recorded someday in the history books!
The one thing we all need to remember is Trump supporters not only allow Trump to befriend Putin, but they absolutely embrace it. Trump reaches out to our long time global adversary who meddles in elections, uses nerve gas on their own citizens, and invades other countries. Yet Trump has not even reached out to his political adversaries in this country. One would have to assume that if Trump were to assassinate his political rivals, his base would support that as well. Think that is a stretch? Think again. Apparently for the Trump base, there is no line in the sand. But they will find out the rest of us do. And Trump crossed it a long time ago.
2
Does Trumps base really think that Trump is not Putin’s stooge?
He doesn't see friends helping friends as meddling.
The media and the left saw nothing wrong with Obama's and Clinton's groveling behavior toward Putin with their silly reset button and his words on an open mike about having more latitude after an election.
Now, of course, they're demanding tough *words*, all the while ignoring tough actions. (The Trump Administration has been very tough on Russia.)
This is why the criticism of Trump has so little credibility. If it were truly about Russia and the threat it poses, these critics would have been up in arms a long time ago about Obama's and Clinton's behavior. They weren't until Trump took office.
So long as we have to be ruled by somethings, it would be nice if at least they could all get along. I suppose traditional decorum would have dictated diplomatic protocols regarding newly elected world leaders, so now Trump final does something by the book and he’s wrong in doing so. Perhaps he should cancel both this meeting with Putin and the earlier one with Kim and start moving the ICBMs to their launch pads. We’ll show the world what the Rule of Law really looks like.
As I have repeatedly written Trump is a Russian agent beholden to Putin. But the country is mostly ok with that.
2
"...The Russian people and international observers may not see last Sunday’s presidential election in Russia as legitimate, but President Barack Obama has now officially endorsed the return of Russian past and future President Vladimir Putin. "President Obama called Russian President-elect and Prime Minister Putin to congratulate him on his recent victory in the Russian Presidential Election..."
From Foreign Policy
So it's not like it hasn't ever happened before, huh?
Sarah Sanders must have read George Orwell's 1984 and rooted for Big Brother and Doublespeak. The woman has no shame, lying just as easily as her boss. Trump is consistent about one area, he finds the worst people to disgrace our nation repeatedly. Remember the kids in school that had a hard time with studying and learning? They grew up to become the Trump base.
2
Putin authorized an attack on US troops in Syria. He authorized the largest cyberattacks in American history against the 2016 election to help Trump win and is still attacking the US with election and infrastructure targets. Putin purged many of the Russians involved in US electoral affairs and in the information in the Russian dossier through a series of assassinations and mysterious deaths. We don't know if the former double agent just attacked in England contributed to the Steele dossier in some way, but if so, it may be his help to America made him the target.
Against this backdrop of deaths and attacks which Putin authorized, Trump calls him up to congratulate him. I don't know if it's Russian mobster oligarchs money laundering or sex tapes that gave Putin ownership of Trump.
Stormy may have some insight since Trump seems equally frightened of her.
1
Trump is beholden to Putin for all the help the Russians provided Trump to get elected. Now the Times of London reports that the person who obtained the data from Facebook and gave it to Cambridge Analytica had ties to Russia. So the firm that helped Trump get elected obtained their Facebook election profile data from someone with Russia ties. The direct link between the Trump Campaign and Russia is getting clearer. So Trump says thank you Vladimir for all your help in securing Trump's election victory, so after all Trump must pay homage to his benefactor.
1
The proof of collusion is in the open before everyone's eyes. Paradoxically that seems to make it more difficult to see!
Russian oligarchs started gathering compromising material on Trump a decade ago, not because they knew he would be president, but because he was a significant figure in their laundromat operations.
He was also a public figure, obviously immoral open to corruption and greedy. Perfect combination for obtaining a loyal kingpin to help with their money laundering. When the dirt starts to come out it is going to be beyond what anybody imagines.
1
Get ready for this Trump and Putin meeting to conclude--or knowing Trump as we do now, to start--by announcing some surprise agreement to stop the "out of control" nuclear arms race. Putin will get whatever he wants and Trump will get a promise that Russia won't release any more videos of ICBMs coming down over Mara Lago.
The brave new oligarch class believes itself to be above the laws of mere nation states.
Trump needs to believe in this... right about now.
1
Believe me, he does and wants to join the club.
1
Please don't just focus on Trump, there are millions who are still behind him, no matter what. I was at a hobbyist meeting several months ago where politics should never intrude. Yet there was mocking of any investigation involving Russia and also of the time the Mueller investigation has taken (though I suspect the length of the Benghazi investigation was just fine with them).
It will be important for everyone fed up with this nonsense to vote in your primary and in November. I know this is not an original thought, but it's the only way we can once again move forward.
2
How does Trump make "America Great Again " by making America second to Russia by kowtowing to Putin?
Trump is just trying to get on the good side of his boss.
1
Well, as our elders taught us, you don’t bite the hands that feed you. While I don’t disagree that this call raises eyebrows, a portion of our American population voted for a business man who goes by “his” instinct no matter how it looks. The relentless criticism of him without internal controls that are followed is a waste of time unless there are consequences.
Why would not Trump congratulate Putin? It is because of Putin that Trump is enjoying the office of POTUS. I am not surprised.
It is apparent that Putin has a hold over "45." There is something in his past dealings that Russia knows about and 45 doesn't want the world to know. Follow the money, Mr. Mueller.
I witnessed the Watergate scandal. We had a crooked president but one who knew enough that he could not avoid impeachment because in 1974 Congressional Republicans had the integrity to uphold the Constitution. I don't have the same confidence in the current GOP to put country before party. Aside from McCain and Graham what other GOP legislator is railing at Trump for congratulating Putin? That question was posed to them and they stood around looking quite awkward and sheepish. When asked if firing Mueller would be an impeachable offense, several GOP members responded in the affirmative but this Republican controlled House, whose members would have begun impeachment hearings on Hillary from the day she was sworn in as president, run so scared of Trump's base, they will continue to have his back regardless of any high crimes and misdemeanors Trump has committed and will continue to commit. Trump has demonstrated beyond any doubt that he is totally unfit for office but he will continue to forge ahead with cowards of his party as his wing men.
Did Prime Minister Theresa May call up Putin and congratulate him? Under the circumstances should Mr. Trump have called Putin after one of our closest Allies (U.K.) had been repeatedly attacked by Russian agents on British soil. Would any Prime Minister of the U.K. picked up the phone to congratulate Putin if the roles had been reversed? I doubt it. Trump gave the most banal statement acknowledging Russian possibly involvement in the terrorsist attacks in The U.K.
In years past our President would have called a press conference explained what happened in the U.K., pledged our support, offered assistance, and admonish Russia in the strongest terms. Our President would have been accompanied by The Secretary of State and his National Security Team, none of this happened.
How soon "we" forget...
The U.K.has always supported the U.S.; even when they knew then President Bush had trumped up lies to evaded Iraq. This should give us an understanding of why the US is held in utter contempt in many parts of the world... just in case you still scratching your head 17 years later.
Is Donald J. Trump working for Vladimir V. Putin, or is Trump working for the American people. Trump's actions and words indicate that he's being controlled by Vladimir V. Putin. So, is it Comrade Trump, or President Trump. If the latter then why is Trump so afraid of Putin.
Putin is who Trump would like to be: a successful autocrat and extortionist, feared and deadly, admired by many of his people because of effective propaganda, control of media coverage, and aggressive nationalism. Trump "owes" him, not just massive intervention to help to the White House in the 2016 election, but hundreds of millions of dollars funneled to his real estate "investments" by mafiosi and oligarchs close to Putin. What a sad plight for America and Americans! The Stars and Stripes are lowered to a foreign despot...
2
We have to rid ourselves of this perfidious monster. How many signals does he have to send for us to stage an intervention? The man has no intention of upholding his oath of office, and never did, anyone can see that. This has to end. Is there anyone in the Congress who wants the United States and its democracy to survive? Anyone??? Please do something!! No more rationalizing! No more hoping for the best! No more making excuses! Trump has absolutely no integrity, he is in Putin's pocket, and he intends to take us down! We have to take our government back!
1
Mum's the word and steady as she goes on the Russia front from the usually swaggering, voluble braggadocio Donald. Hear no evil, see no evil, but most important, speak no evil about Putin. Why, oh why?
I am wondering if Putin gave Trump some money and made him sign an NDA. Either that or Putin knows that Golden Shower tapes or worse inevitably give rise to golden handcuffs.
Come on now. Did anybody expect him to call out his bankers' boss?
1
Meddling is too soft a word for what should be properly called sabotage.
1
Trump conducts twitter attacks Oprah, the FBI, and thousands of American Citizens but phones and congratulations Putin. He makes no mention of nerve gas UK, no mention of Russian meddling. GOP remains silent as a once proud democratic nation sinks into the abyss.
1
Values mater. So does freedom.
President Trump did the right thing. It's duty and responsibility of the president to deal with every country in the world including Russia regardless of the way they conduct their own affairs.
14
Something along the lines of "Thanks for you know what, great job in the UK and, oh yes, congratulations on your election." Sorry but NO. It isn't a presidents job to congratulate a Russian on his election.
7
Mr Trump is undoubtedly extremely jealous of Mr Putin's highly successful and transparently democratic Presidential victory.
5
So why doesn’t he congratulate Assad for his great victory in Syria?
9
Greeting Putin could be a part of courtesy for Trump as the head of the state but not to accept the threat of Russian meddling or raising it forcefully to preempt such threats in future could be a failure on his part to discharge his responsibility under the constitution.
7
The Russian threat existed while Obama was in office. Putin obviously operated without concern under Obama. We probably wouldn't have even known about his election meddling had Clinton won. And, who knows, without Clinton's involvement in Putin's election (ex., by questioning it), Putin may not have launched retaliatory actions during ours.
My point is that this problem existed long before Trump and irrespective of his election.
I don't recall anyone on the left criticizing Obama for his open mike comment about having more latitude after the election. The right was outraged. The left's newfound outrage rings hollow.
How about DJT impose the sanctions on Russia the Senate passed last year instead of congratulating Putin for rigging Russia’s election?
good
Putin may have "prevailed with 76% of the vote", but only 60% of the people voted. And we all saw the videos of the voting stations where the "non-partisan" overseers were stuffing the ballot boxes with fake votes.
Both Putin & Trump are thumbing their noses at voters of all stripes in their own individual countries - as well as destroying trust in the democratic process worldwide. Neither man cares one whit about service to their countries; each is lining his pocket with all the grimy, unscrupulous graft he can. While we expect this from Russia, did we really ever expect it of the US?
37
Do you recall Cheney getting 40M from his employer Halliburton when he left to accept the job as VP? He made a fortune awarding "no-bid" contracts to Halliburton for both the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. When his "boss" Bush II changed the law to not allow Medicare to shop for lower prices on drugs, do you think for a minute that Bush didn't load up on pharmaceutical stock?
Why has Trump never criticized Putin, an adversary, but has no hesitancy in criticizing some of our closest allies or our premier law enforcement agency, the FBI? Trump obviously defers to Putin because Putin has some compromising information on him or a financial threat that intimidates Trump. Does any one seriously believe that unraveling this mystery requires someone with the stellar investigative skills of a Sherlock Holmes?
54
Why are people obsessed with Trump's criticizing Putin? It's a puzzling obsession.
Trump's Administration has been very hard on Russia. Demanding *words* while ignoring tough actions demonstrates a seriously misguided lack of objectivity.
Criticize him for what?? Mueller has not found anything!!!!!!
I hope Robert Mueller is also investigating the GOP leadership for conspiracy with Russia to subvert American democracy.
Their masters, significantly the Kochs and Mercers, must believe they are better served in an authoritarian oligarchical system like Russia's than in a truly competitive society, and are happy to accept Putin's help and guidance to turn this country into one big robber baron state.
Won't they be surprised when it turns out that Putin calls the shots for all of them!
50
Amen! I thought we used to be against communism :-(
I think the sanctions are a great congratulatory gift.
16
Douglas Campbell, the ones the Congress voted overwhelmingly to put in place so DT could not veto? The ones DT's administration missed the deadline to impose?
Trump today hosted the Saudi dictator and sold him billions of dollars of heavy armaments. Where is the outrage about this cozy, long-standing, though toxic, relationship with a leading terrorist-breeding nation?
39
You'd think that now we are attaining 'energy independence' from fossil fuels (fracking) we wouldn't need bow down to "The Kingdom" anymore. But, then again, they put Donald's face on a big building so....ok.
1
"Shared interests", indeed.
19
What happened to American "conservatives" that they now accept their puppet president dancing to the puppeteer President Vladimir Putin, ex-KGB, of Russia? Their Republican Party spent the last century warning us against commies and those soft on commies as well as fellow travelers, liberals and most Democrats. Now it's OK with them that their President Trump acts as Putin's chief American agent, apologist and partner.
62
Sadly, the answer is simple...tax cuts, dismantling of the social safety net and destroying real Christ-like Christians.
I sure your out rage, and remember – one is never former KGB.
1
What happened to the good old days when the President knew that communist regimes are not friends to America?
27
What happened to the good old days when a U.S. president read the PDB and understood it?
Please stop call it meddling. It was an attack on our Election Systems. In other times in the history of civilization something with this same effect would have been an act of war. I, of course, don't want war but this letting Putin/Trump off softly through carefully chosen words will encourage more of this.
Please stop using that pathetic anemic word.
37
The last time Donny met him, Putin said he had nothing to do with the hacking and rigging of Trump’s election. Donny has lied over one thousand times since Putin helped get him elected. So he knows people lie all the time because HE lies all the time but somehow he doesn’t think for one minute that a RussIan dictator like Putin, who he claims he doesn’t know and has had nothing to do with, has lied! Yet here is a man who lied about the “little green men” waging war in Ukraine, lied about shooting down an airliner over Ukraine, lied about his ordering a rival shot in the street, a journalist shot in her lobby, lied about ordering the poisoning of at least 3 critics in England, lied about ordering the strangulation of at least 2 critics in England, and gloat on TV that traitors will die wherever they live. But Trump knows Putin is a liar because as the saying goes, it takes one to know one, but he cannot upset his puppet master for fear of retribution and Putin not helping him one again in the mid terms.
21
It's all very odd.
It's as though he called Putin to remind himself that he's the President of.the United States and (in his mind at least) the most powerful man in the world and therefore able to interact with a longstanding President of a powerful rival nation.
It smacks of a deeply flawed personality and a desperation to be recognised, accepted, and respected.
It smacks of a very dangerous strain of malignant narcissism.
It's not only very odd. It's also very dangerous.
Godspeed Mr Mueller. And do not tarry.
1
A good call? That focused on "shared interests"? What is going on? Putting aside, as one should not do, the election meddling issue, how about the invasions of Ukraine and Georgia. Are those "shared interests"? How about the bullying of the Baltic nations? How about the alleged attempted murders in England coming after the alleged murders in Russia itself? Are those "shared interests". And how about the fact that just a few weeks ago, this buddy of Donnie's threatened a direct nuclear attack which he said could evade all our defenses. Is nuking American cities a 'shared interest"? How creepy is that. I thought Donnie was supposed to put our interests ahead of everyone else. Silly me. Perhaps I have misunderstood it entirely and the "shared interest" is money, loans and such -and the rest of it doesn't matter to Donnie, although it does to me.
23
Congrats from one con to another. Trump won through stolen personal data profiling conducted by Bannon, Mercer and Cambridge Analytica with the help of the Putin's hackbot army. This finely targeted propaganda machine stirred up enough misogyny, racism and anti-Hillary hysteria to stack the Electoral College and make him president, against the will of the majority. In this way American democracy was defeated in 2016. You can't measure his behaviour by the usual standards because he is illegitimate. The destruction, discord and instability that Trump embodies are precisely what the unholy alliance that put him there wants and they have achieved it beyond their wildest expectations. Is this not perfectly clear by now? And they will continue to back Trump and the GOP by any means. They know useful fools and tools when they see them: Manafort, Flynn, Page, Kushner and the Trumps were all ripe for the plucking, a dream team. And the GOP has a veritable larder-full, like Nunes, on the take and primed for sleaze by the Kochs, the NRA and worse. Fox News and social media gave them the juice. All to build their little Ayn Randian Utopia. Defeat is very hard thing to admit, but that is exactly what Trump represents; America lost when Trump won and it is still going on. Our pride is blinding us. This is no time for parades; the biggest scam and cover-up in American history is underway.
45
Neville Chamberlain would be so proud of you Mr. Trump! Appeasement is definitely the winning strategy.
18
Can we be honest for a moment?
Trump and Fox News and are simply envious of Putin's complete subversion of democratic processes and wish they could do the same.
Afterall, with the election of Trump they're more than halfway there.
29
Nothing will change for the better in this country until we, somehow, stop FOX from being a state-sponsored propaganda outfit. Rupert Murdoch has ruined America.
1
Why are we tolerating this traitor as President? Surely all sides of the political spectrum can see what we are dealing with. This leadership is unprecedented in American history and erodes the very fabric of the democracy. Period.
34
We see a left completely unhinged over Trump. Talk about eroding the fabric of democracy...What do you think not accepting an elected president does to it?
And what can we do about this greedy despot? Where does the undoing start?
Great move by President Trump in not allowing the McCarthy media to prevent him from making what under normal circumstances would be a matter of course courtesy call. The McCarthy media whines that Trump didn't even mention the Skripal incident or Russian interference in our elections. Could that be because he knows these are nothing but lies as well as Putin does?
3
One may only admire the substitution of "incident," for, "Nerve gas attack on England."
Orwell much?
WOW!
These are not normal times Tony. Your president has Trumps manlyhood on a plate and everyone knows it. Congratulations!
The people of the US elected a person who is so ignorant, or corrupt, or both, that he tries to make nice with Vladimir Putin a mere week after Putin was sanctioned by our closest ally, Great Britain, for the vicious attacks in Salisbury. What would the GOP's precious Saint Ronald Reagan say? It is OBVIOUS that Putin's got the goods on Trump, and the Republicans are going to look the other way -- all they cared about really was their tax cut for the wealthy. How much longer can we survive this insanity?
14
Well, to be fair, Mr. Putin did congratulate Mr. Trump on his questionable victory.
10
Supporting one's enemy nation sounds like treason to me. Our election process was compromised, our electrical grid was hacked into and our British ally was the victim of a poisoning attack all by Russia. But instead of bring up any of these attacks, our President congratulates the head of Russia for winning his rigged election. Enough already!
37
As one election-fixer to another, it was probably protocol that Trump congratulate Putin. But they're both rubbish...
18
I wish somebody would leak the kompromat Putin has on Trump. Then we could be done with this whole thing.
33
I wish somebody would leak his taxes - and then we'd be on our way to being done. There might be salacious. Now we know Donald doesn't use condoms for his philandering so he's not the big 'germaphobe' he says he is. We know he was at a Las Vegas hotel with very fetishy acts. He seems to like it all. So, yeah, it is highly likely that there are tapes of that kind of stuff. But the money laundering is, really, right out there, isn't it? We all know what he has done. He's laundered money for Putin and his Oligarchs. Probably many, many times.
I wish we could just be done with it, as you say.
1
One wonders how many years -- nay, decades -- it may take after Trump has [mercifully] left -- or better, been booted from -- public life, that the U.S. may right itself, and that we 68% among the sane may then experience a return to some normalcy.
26
So Trump lauds a victory where the winner used unethical tactics to win? Sounds about right.
15
Golly, Trump's phone statement sounds a lot like the EUs...
https://twitter.com/JunckerEU/status/976061272293871616
1
Arms race?? what is he talking about?
3
Trump hung up, thinking he and Putin had a very good call. Putin hung up, hardly able to believe how well his plan to damage America is working. Trump is Putin’s useful idiot. At this point, Republicans in Congress are complicit in the destruction of our country if they do not act immediately to remove him from office. Vote, register others to vote and get out the vote.
32
Professional courtesy.
7
Which he has never shown to anybody else, except despicable dictators.
He has attacked allies, associates, nominees, bullied harassed and insulted peers and his own nominees and common citizens.
When you put it in context of this president, "professional courtesy" is proof of collusion.
1
Putin is a professional dictator. Well done Putin.
Evangelicals are fine with Trump so long as he is racist. They are the ultimate hypocrites.
20
Well we know who's going to protect Trump from Mueller...and as a result, our kids will be learning Russian in the future. The GOP could, and should, stop this mess before it's too late, and we're getting very close to that now...but their bank accounts have been stuffed with fresh rubles...and for capitalists, cash is king. America has been sold out from under us by the party of flags and family and Jesus and all good things...as long as they get theirs, porn stars are okay as are child molesters, hatred and white supremacy seem to work for them, they're perfectly happy killing our kids on a weekly basis so their rights to killing machines are preserved, and all sins are forgiven because the cash has been spread and the women and non-whites have been once again put in their place. Who do they choose, a black president of enormous ability and character, or a dictator?...seems they're Putin their faith in the dictator. I love America, and hate to see it destroyed by the very people who are supposed to protect it and uphold its core beliefs. The only fake news is the notion our GOP brethren love their country. They don't. All they love is money, and as long as there are currency exchanges, they're happy...dollars, rubles...it's all the same to them.
29
There would have been a time when this post would have sounded like an unbalanced, alarmist screed...but that time is so far back in memory it's buried and forgotten. No, this reads like what it is: a clear-eyed, dead-on summation of exactly where we are as a nation. I love America, too, and I never thought I'd see anything like this come to pass.
You did not have a very good call, Mr. Trump. You played right into the hands of a thug. In your miasma of narcissism and histrionics, you equate some sort of one-way personal affinity for a solid relationship built on informed mutual respect. Putin and Xi are playing you for the vain fool that you have been. Stop the self-promotional games and get serious. We need you to do the best job of your life for the next 3 yrs. Starting right now.
16
“Shared interests" = the dirt Putin has on Trump.
15
Yes but did Putin drop the mic?
6
This behavior by Trump leaves little doubt that in 2018 and 2020 powerful forces bent on hurting the US will go for broke to maintain the situation they have created and now maintain. Democrats and the public better prepare for the dirtiest campaigns in history and not let it derail them.
34
“We can only focus on the freeness and fairness of our elections, something we 100 percent fully support," says Sanders.
Oh, really.
19
Trump continues to green light Russian attacks on American elections with this call, adding urgency to the question of what kind of party the GOP has become. Answer forthcoming in November.
14
"...while Mr. Trump’s briefing cards did contain those suggestions, he spoke to his aides by phone and never saw the cards."
CAN
NOT
READ.
23
Are you really suggesting that we discriminate against 5th graders being President?
Isn't it outrageous that Russian cyber attacks against the U.S. are continuing unabated and Trump refuses to so much as acknowledge let alone do anything to raise objections about it to Putin? Trump decries the dossier as not being verifiable but his own actions in working to minimize the U.S. response to Russian hacking attacks seem to indicate that Putin has kompromat against him don't they? Trump campaigned as a tough leader and skilled negotiator and someone who was going to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. but instead in just over a year he has torpedoed our standing with our allies, torn down our standing as a world leader, put together a cabinet full of people of dubious ability and judgment, and subjected us to an ongoing circus revolving around childish almost daily tweets. Our enemies could scarcely have asked for anything more could they? News sources have astutely recognized the mood by counting down the days to our next elections like stores do for Christmas. Are these interesting or simply disturbing times? I think the latter.
9
This kind of thing used to be unbelievable, you could not make it up and expect to be taken seriously. People would have thought that a congratulatory call from the President of the US to the President of Russia, in the circumstances, would be some kind of satire. Just imagine, if you can, Bob Newhart making the call . . .
15
More like Peter Sellers..."Dimitri?" Or Mr. Drysdale. Or most likely, Dr. Smith of "Lost In Space"
"Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death..."
He can share a cell with all of those drug dealers he wants to put on death row.
34
And then share the same punishment.
Obama is not in jail, nor is he facing any backlash for calling and congratulating Putin after his 2012 election.
Mr. Trump, why not name Putin US Attorney General? That would solve your problems.
49
Translation: they talked only about sanctions and pee-tapes.
32
For the next presidential campaign, will we see the Tea Party members exchange their Revolutionary War costumes for Russian Cossack outfits?
32
What is so odd about Trump calling his boss to congratulate him?
Obviously Russia has something BIG on Trump for him to behave so meekly toward Putin and Russia.
45
Maybe not - maybe Trump simply envies and admires Putin, and has no regard whatsoever for America, for our democracy or our people (unless they look like him!)
Yep. No question Putin has something big on President Cheeto.
According to Donald Trump,
leader to leader rapport is the best way to improve relations between Russia and the US.
This is not just a rapport between leaders. Trump is trying very hard to stay on Putin’s good side. Putin seem to know a lot about Trump, the rouge business man.
16
Trump simply acted according to diplomatic protocol. Nothing more, nothing less.
3
Yes, according to the diplomatic protocol desired by Putin.
5
You seem not to know how it works in this country's government. The protocol for rigged elections outside our borders is to NOT congratulate the authoritarian leader of said country who rigs an election.
4
Which would be fine except he has NEVER acted according to diplomatic protocol or even common decency at any point during his entire time in office.
Clearly, Putin has told Trump not to directly criticism him or else ??? whatever it is he has over Trump will be revealed. Our president is somehow in thrall to Putin.
11
Imagine our democracy rigged up to a stress test machine. This is yet another data point saying that our republic is in danger. I applaud the few Republicans (Corker, Graham, & McCain) who are pushing back. We need people from BOTH parties to reign in our Emperor Who Has No Clothes. The time is NOW.
16
I object to the Times' use of the word "meddling" to describe an attack on our election system. The word minimizes the seriousness of the matter. Also, is no one home in our government to act against Russia for their continuing threat to our electric grids? Will our whole country have to go totally silent and dark before the Republicans act (that is really scary)? A POX ON REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS, ESPECIALLY MCCONNELL AND RYAN.
23
The longer Trump's bizarre interactions with the Russian head of state go on, the more something about them seem clear to me. It is not so much the threat of what he can expose - although this danger most probably exists - it is our president's genuine admiration and affection for Mr. Putin that drives his behavior towards him. Trump has been smitten, almost since their first contact, and this obsession has only grown with each new encounter. It has long ago seemed to me that Mr. Trump has 'daddy issues', due to the love and acceptance he never received from his father. Putin's strongman demeanor and praise and affirmation for Trump has allowed him to manipulate him ("I really believe him when he says he didn't try to influence the election.") His Russian father figure provides him with the emotional comfort he so desperately needs, and it insures, insofar as Russia is concerned, that it will not be challenged for any of its crimes against our country (too numerous to delineate here), now and in the future.
8
Obama congratulated Putin after his 2012 win.
As American power is either being outbid, or put into an escrow account, as he draws closer to disgrace, it is amazing any world leader wants to spend much valuable time talking to our trust fund president. His lines of political credit are being shut down fast. In real life, some golf courses and hotels really ain't all that.
6
Although he is no genius, perhaps it has crossed Donald's mind that he could be in harm's way if he angers Putin. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Putin doesn't respond well to criticism.
8
Could the President of the United States act any more subordinate to a foreign power? He focuses on shared interests? Is it that Putin meddles and he is in power? An obedient servant, who likes to think of himself as a genius? How obvious this is must be cherished by Putin. He can turn the lights off, influence elections and get away with dividing the soul of the West. Unless we're deluded we're just waiting to see how this unprecedented take over unfolds, not whether Trump is guilty--of not defending the country he represents, blatantly, for starters.
6
Actually, it is customary for a President to congratulate the elected leaders of other countries. I didn't know that is just a sign of American subordination to the foreign countries.
1
Putin has been reelected several times. When was the last time an American President or any
other leader of a democracy congratulated him?
Not under these circumstances at all. Obama vacillated over how and when to reach out to him the last time and and there were plenty of reasons then to criticize Putin. Now it just ridiculous. It would be customary for the president of the United States to hold off on the call for at least a day?! And not legitimize Putin by congratulating him after he attacked this countries election and also our ally with a dangerous chemical weapon.
OF COURSE DT is calling Putin to congratulate him on his rubber stamp victory. Effusive congrats are required from all those who owe Mr. Putin for where they stand today, and as we all know, nobody fits that definition better than Donald Trump. Ugggggg. The man truly makes me ill.
8
Seriously? Election?
8
indeed. elections doesn't mean that the guy whom you like will win.
Trump avoids talk of meddling just like the liberal media avoids talk of the USA meddling in Ukraine and Syria. That meddling was deadly.
The "Blame America First" crowd always attributes every foreign policy issue to malign DC intentions. Nobody cared about Ukraine until the Ukrainian people themselves "meddled" and drove out a corrupt regime. And it was the EU, not the U.S. that was trying to do the heavy lifting during the ensuring crisis with the Russian aggression.
You're repeating what the liberal media has told you to say. It's not true. It's also public record of Nuland's and Pyatt's meddling in Ukrainian affairs, not to mention the CIA just a day before the current corrupt Kiev government went to war against its own citizens.
These two disgusting buffoons...
I'm confident that history has shown us (again and again and again) that it is high time we allow only women to govern. Men have dominated political positions since time immemorial and look where it's gotten us.. (see above).
26
Sounds good. For starters, I nominate Betsy DeVos and Sarah Palin.
Trump couldn't be bothered to call the Gov. of California when a large part is burning to the ground but has a nice chat with his best-buddy Vald?
Putin plays Trump like a cheap violin. What a rancid man.
54
Vote in 2018 and 2020.
38
No one is stopping him. Many of us roll our eyes, vent and yell at the TV but who is stopping him? I read these articles, comments and watch MSNBC and will continue to but nothing is going to change. The exasperation and rage is going to be here for 3 or 7 more years. His "base" felt this way with Obama although they got laugh about guns and the supreme court while waiting it out. We don't have much to laugh about, especially those of us living in the Blue states. Porn Stars, Russia, Obstruction....write this diown folks - nothing is going to change until someone else is elected in 2020 or 2024. In the meantime, see you in the comments section.
20
Putin is a more akin to a gangster with nuclear weapons presiding over a country run by a mafia where he is the Godfather. I am stunned to see our President showing fealty to a criminal who intends to try to destroy the west.
18
Trump needs Putin’s help for 2020.
12
He congratulated Putin for being unanimously elected Dictator for Life? Oy.
8
Ah, but what's a little Novichok nerve-agent poisoning between friends, right??
13
This man is a menace to our nation. HE MUST BE IMPEACHED, INDICTED, CONVICTED and SENTENCED! The Republican Party must be disenfranchised and its criminal conspirators also tried. This country must return to its basis as a nation under law not one in the hands of weaklings.
23
I don't need to wait for Mueller's investigation to know that Trump is somehow colluding with Putin. This is just another example of his high regard of this despicable ruler. Trump doesn't show respect to our real allies, England, France, Canada, Mexico; but does make unAmerican comments like we should kill people who sell drugs (like Dutarte in the Philippines), supports the leader of China to head his country FOREVER, and of course, his love of Putin actually saying Russia has a better leader than Obama, asks Russia to HACK INTO AMERICA'S EMAILS, and on and on and onl
20
...and while you were typing this, there was another school , or mall shooting, another bomb exploded and a few hundred people died due to drug overdose.
See the irony?
Someone from the Kremlin must have used backchannels to tell Trump that Putin wanted a call. If he didn't comply, they'd release the tapes. Manchurian Candidate indeed.
13
I thought NYT readers are educated, critical but objective and unbiased thinkers. It’s either extremely hypocritical or super ignorant to hate on Putin. Trump will step down one day but these domestic “forward thinkers” will stay...Godspeed.
1
For America in fact, Putin is a good pick as russian president. He keep dragging down the economy of his country, making it weaker and weaker. Washington could not ask better. The Putin's military show is just to mask his country's weakeness, now 13th economical power behind... Canada, South Corea... Go Putin Go!!
4
At what place was Russian economy before Putin? 1st?
Gray back Don delivers on each Right occasion
His report that will support the white persuasion
"Russia is our friend!"
"Blood and soil" we'll defend
Just as long as Trump can see that it's Caucasian.
3
In the NFL they call this taunting—the man’ nuts. Or in imprachment terms, unfit.
2
Obama called and congratulated Putin after his win in 2012.
Is our entire nation on some Russian version of Candid Camera? We have to be! Where are the cameras? It is completely unbelievable that our president called him to congratulate him on his victory. This has to be a joke. Please tell me this is a joke.
9
Apparently, about 55 millions of Russians voted for Putin.
It is more than a half of ALL Russian voters.
If we can figure out how to get rid of those folks then many of our problems will be solved.
This is good. Leaders of nations must talk and explore all avenues to peaceful coexistence. Do you think Trump will bring a reset button?
It was protocol when when Obama congratulated Putin after his win in 2012; treasonous when Trump adheres to the same protocol. The smears is an orchestrated effort to help the Dems take Congress in November.
Question is would he be able to put the right Russian word on this button?
No, I do not. Do you seriously think that?
In the recent revelations about Cambridge Analytica we could all see that the methods of spreading propaganda used is reminiscent of the communist era propaganda machine. Trump, like Putin, cheat and fraud the system to gain votes and victory. Trump has literally brought the US in a soviet style era. No wonder that Trump congratulates Putin it's his mentor.
9
Beyond troubling. Twisted, disturbing, alarming. The president does not even mention the past and ongoing Russian interference in our elections. The president congratulates the autocrat Putin on his victory in a sham election. The president says he hopes to have an in-person meeting with Putin soon. The president ignored all of the advice from his own national security advisers. This looks like treason. It looks like Putin owns him.
(Obviously, President Obama certainly should not have called and congratulated Putin for Putin's election victories.)
5
Does Putin own Obama?
I think it was very nice for Trump to congratulate Putin. I heard from unnamed sources that Trump later called Stormy Daniels. It also was a "very good call," and he invited her to get together in "the no-to-distant future."
8
The true mark of a bully is someone who will pick on the defenseless or those incapable or unwilling to fight back and who hides behind lawyers, advisers, and now the secret service to protect him. He, who openly condoned violence during the campaign, harassed women on a regular basis, and got away with incendiary comments and lies, and continues to do so. That has been a hallmark of Trump's for decades. The reality is that it hides the true coward that he is, someone unwilling to muster the guts to stand up to the Russians despite overwhelming evidence of their involvement in attempts to undermine our society. The only explanation is that he fears what could come out about his business ties to Russia and the implications for his Presidency. But it is already too late. We are in the endgame now. His cowardly silence (except to have his sycophants brand them as liars) about all of the women beginning with Stormy Daniels shows that he indeed fears that exposure. Poetic justice that a strong woman is playing a key role in bringing him down. It will weaken and destabilize him further and more revelations from the Mueller investigation will be fatal. Look to a resignation for "medical reasons" before that happens. It is the only way his fragile ego can save face.
8
There is a blue tidal wave approaching and due to hit the shore on November 6th. It will be beautiful to watch even from where I sit 10,000 miles away. Make sure you vote.
14
Headline coming soon:
Trump, CRIMES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES.
By the way ignorance to charges of those indicted is not a defense. Nor is any bogus “beyond the scope” cries. The Special Prosecutor must follow the crimes revealed as they unfold.
7
Of course Trump didn't raise the meddling (or many, many other issues). Unlike Comey and Tillerson, Trump has respect and deference for his boss.
9
What is there left to say? It's all been said. So, instead, I'll ask a question.
What can we do to finally connect with those who still 'believe' in him? The proof is there in spades, but their backs are up against the wall and they'll come out swinging, just as Trump does, instead of acknowledging that they were wrong.
How do you reach people so entrenched in their anger and their position that they don't see reason? Or, more broadly, how do we bring decency, respect and honor back to the White House and our country?
14
as to your first question invite them in for tea and a chat; and as to question two vote those qualities in
Well, it would have to be more serious than shooting someone on 5th Avenue....(Sigh).
Whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia has yet to be determined, but the Trump administration is most certainly complicit with Russia in undermining confidence in the spectrum of our democratic institutions from the ballot box to undercutting intelligence agencies. To my mind, this complicity rises to the level of treason.
15
CNN just reported that NSA officials wrote DON'T CONGRATULATE in caps. But of course The Don knows best.
3
I know most here who comment are adverse to reading anything that doesn't confirm their delusions, but I'll give it a try anyway. Try this:
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/russia-collusion-real-story-hilla...
As Trump kowtows to Putin, the Russians are laughing at us, secure in the knowledge that they can do almost anything, like poisoning people in other countries, and get away with it. The rest of the world wonders if we have gone crazy, having Trump for a president.
4
So for every future debate and every single public appearance for every current member of the GOP that runs for re-election how are they going to answer:
“Dear FILL IN GOP CANDIDATE HERE,
What did you do in response to your party leader calling putin to congratulate him on his re-election the week after he deployed chemical agent to assassinate a Russian dissident in the UK?”
“ Hello?”
“Hello?”
Next question
“Can you explain why the GOP lead Congress voted overwhelmingly to impose sanctions on Russia and the leader of your party chose to call and congratulate him on this same “election” win”?
Hello?
Hello?
Last question.....
“Did you raise concerns (publicly) about the firing of Andrew McCabe?
Hello?
Hello?
Nothing?
7
Well here we go again, Trump has his own party members telling him not to congratulate a known dictator but Donny's got stay on the good side of his good buddy.
Come on GOP, Trump is a Putin wanna be.
2
The president of the United States congratulates a murderous manipulating autocrat. This has to be a new low even for trump. He abases himself to Putin; it is revolting.
5
...all while Humpty Trumpy can only sigh with envy...
4
Why is Putin smiling? Because he has invaded the USA without firing one gun and he knows the President will not stop him from continuing his war against us.
8
You literally can't make this stuff up...
3
So what? We need to find common ground both in the world and in the States. The hatred for Trump is blinding everyone. We are one divided nation and it is sickening. There are NO leaders in either party and the Dems/Libs are as much to blame as anyone. Look in the mirror. Obama did the same thing. By the way, didn’t Obama skewer Romney and even made fun of him during the debate when Romney correctly assessed Russia as a growing threat?? I guess it is the 80’s, Bumbling Barry.
1
We have shared interests with Putin on Ukraine???
2
America has a national interest in Ukraine? Poor Ukraine.
Some day we'll find out what Putin is blackmailing Trump with. Any guesses, anyone?
6
"Hey Vlad, let's do it again this year and in 2020, ok? " Maybe this is a educated translation of what the russian boss and his american best talked in this infamous phone call. Unbeliavable.
1
Perhaps he will ask for asylum?
3
So, how soon can we get this guy tossed onto the trash heap of history?
Speaking of history. You've got to go see "The Death of Stalin". As you watch it note which character could be replaced b y Eric "Fredo" trumpski. and who by McConnellov, Ryanovitch, etc.
1
Trump congratulates Putin the same way a servant bends a knee to his master.
4
Why wouldn't the President of the United States congratulate his foreign security service handler?
2
Trump is an unofficial/official member of Putin's cabinet. Whenever Putin asks the donald to jump, the donald obeys his order.
Sad!
2
Why ?
His security team asked him no to congratulate Putin and trump did it anyways .
More and more this looks like Putin has something on trump and is blackmaing him.
What a scandalous demagogue we have as a President.
8
After Trump is gone, every Republican in Congress needs to be called out for treason by complicity in every election.
13
God bless John McCain for calling out this sham of a presidency. Cozying up to an autocratic dictator who is unfazed by the murders he is directly involved in is the most despicable display of sycophancy any leader of a free country could commit. Trump’s deference to Vladi is starting to go beyond an SNL skit and look more like treasonous territory. C’mon republicans, do we have to wait until Trump gets his military parade and pay reverential homage to our dear and glorious leader who is insisting to be installed on the throne and given a life term. My only hope is that the throne is in Leavenworth.
9
I'm gonna laugh, since I ran out of tears a long time ago. Wake me up when our corporate overlords voice group displeasure at the shameful situation in DC.
5
Exactly, Wayne, because that is what it will take. Wonder if and when they will speak up - how much is too much?
“An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections.” Right on, Senator John McCain.
16
An American president no longer leads the free world.
Trump had to call to kowtow to Putin or otherwise Putin might release the tapes. When Putin says jump, Trump says how high. How embarrassing for all Americans.
8
I'm loathe to believe conspiracy theories, but the constant kowtowing and groveling at Putin's feet really does make it seem like Trump is either being blackmailed, or afraid he could be.
17
Putin has something on Trump, that's for sure. Anyone wants to conjecture what he may have over Trump?
16
Money.
1
Mr Trump, has, quite simply, been blackmailed by the Russian dictator.
Why this is not obvious is just mystifying.
There have been novels, TV shows, movies.... written about such things. BUt when the reality of it is in our faces, no one seems to care at all.
How very strange.
19
this man is a threat to our national security and needs to be removed from office. 25th the 45th.
17
Why would he even offer to congratulate a dictator like Putin whose re-election was never in doubt. Does he think Putin is an honest man and Russia is a thriving democracy? What new kind of crazy is this?
13
Much more than Iraq or Afghanistan or even Kosovo
Well done Comrade Trump. Congratulating your boss is always the prudent thing to do. Any more questions about Trump being a traitor should have been confirmed by now.
12
It's terrific that Trump is a delusional idiot devoid of any self-discipline because the more he tweets, the more he provides Robert Mueller with additional information that will allow the special counsel to prove the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 election. His congratulatory call to Putin is mind-boggling in that it either demonstrates how willfully ignorant he is to be chatting it up with Vlad while under investigation for conspiring with Russia, or it reveals an absolutely staggering--but misplaced--degree of self-confidence and the belief that he can do anything with anyone and not be held accountable. My concern is that while Mr. Mueller and his team are methodically investigating issues of national importance and carefully untangling the web of who did what to whom and when, it will be Stormy Daniels, Summer Zervos, Karen McDougal, and perhaps many other women who will beat the Mueller team to be first in bringing Trump down. On the other hand, ANY putative action against Trump will be most welcome!
5
Of course he did. Trump wants to install himself as dictator. He's got Putin's backing and they own him. I wish this was just hyperbole but we currently have a "president" that was picked and helped into office by one of this country's greatest enemies . We have a president who is an actual criminal found guilty of defrauding thousands. We have a president whose family and cronies have been treating their government positions and taxpayer dollars like an open piggy bank. No administration has been so nakedly corrupt in this country's history. Worse we have a president who considers himself above the law and has obstructed justice and vilified men and women who have served their country for decades.
But history will serve it's greatest condemnation for destroying this country and our democracy for the Republican party. I used to think republicans were simply greedy corrupt or spineless for failing to stand up for this country. But now I think they are in on the takeover by Trump. God knows what he promised them. Maybe a lot of them are ok with living in a banana republic under Trump/Putin and no longer being the United States of America. They are rich. They will carve up the country. Republican = traitor.
6
“Make America Great Again”
Translation: “Toss Patriotism Out The Window”
Remember, not too long ago, the GOTP was calling Obama and everyone in the Democratic Caucus a “Communist.” They also ripped apart Obama’s Foreign Policy, and the State Department, and said only the Right could do credible Foreign Policy.
Now...
Trump is alienating every Ally we have.
He’s about to upend Markets with harsh tariffs.
He has rolled over and offered open talks to North Korea.
His definition of “Unconditional Favorite Foreign Friend” is Putin.
He has literally decimated the State Department, left most diplomatic posts infilled - and his clueless daughter is about to fill in as Secretary Of State in meetings with South Korea!
This is our actual reality, as of late March, 2018. You couldn’t write this as comedy in “The Onion.” Who would get the joke?
Meanwhile, Congress does nothing, and Democrats are... where are Democrats anyway? Do we even have them in Congress anymore?
4
Maybe time for Trump to defect to Russia!
3
Hi Vlad. That was a great job you did on that Sergei Skripal guy. And those other mysterious deaths in the UK, epic. Ballot stuffing pictures in Russian were great. Well done. Your friend, Donald.
5
Are the Russians going to pay for the wall?
6
Trump "congratulate" Putin, but trashes Trudeau, Merkell, and Macron?
And he wants to meet with Putin? No doubt to tell Putin how valuable his (i.e. Putin's) "investment" in election-tampering has been!
Maybe Trump will form a new Demagogue & Tyrants League, with Putin, Duarte, Erdogan, Netanyahu, and other corrupt, despotic and anti-democracy "leaders" that Trump admires so much? Kind of a counter to the UN and World Court, the same way that SMERSH and KAOS were to the world order in the old days when this was wild fiction?
8
“An American president does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections.” -- Sen. John McCain
Thank you, Senator. This needed to be said.
12
Trump wants to meet Putin to find out how to make himself President-For-Life.
4
Only a person, debased by the hatred they feel for themselves and their government, could possibly end up within both the deadly sights of the FBI, and his own family.
We've moved well passed Article 5.
The President is unfit to hold office. Remove this Manchurian candidate before it is too late.
Louie
14
Russian expatriates get poisoned at Putin’s directive. Silence.
Putin “wins” reelection. Heartiest congratulations extended.
Speaks volumes, no?
17
The only good thing , or maybe better stated not negative fact of Trump and His Gang’s reign , is the exposure of the whole “ america “ concept , that we’ve been filled with , being total spin . I had doubt about being played for a fool by these people and really wanted to believe in democracy , truth , justice -blah -blah- blah ! Trump has proved beyond a doubt , in my opinion , that we’ve been living in a confidence game . We lose every time in this three card monte game called america !!
2
So the two most powerful liars in the world are going to get together to discuss nuclear weapons, and we're supposed to find comfort in that?
6
I think he did it partly to thumb his nose at the American people. And of course to swagger with a fellow autocrat.
7
Fear wins again.
1
"Congratulations, we got away with it.....again."
5
Every time mister trump opens his mouth, be it about gender, race, or the potential for nuclear war, he reveals himself to be about 50 years behind the times.
3
We're currently in an "arms race" with Russia? I wonder how that got started?
“We will never allow anybody to have anything even close to what we have,” [Trumpet] said.
What if........?
2
No mention of meddling. Trump is a sycophant. The country means nothing to him.
6
Does anyone have any concern that they will be meeting soon? They will have discussions alright. Most likely discussions about getting all the stories straight. Either that or it is time for Trump to make a payment, or both. At any rate the idea that Trump will be discussing arms with the likes of Putin is in no way reassuring. Will someone please wake me from this nightmare!
8
Trumps continues to pander to Putin. Obviously Putin has something with which he can easily blackmail Trump. I don't know what Putin has but when it all comes out it will be terribly incriminating evidence that Trump and his cohorts were most likely doing things that are illegal, immoral, unethical and probably paid well. There is no valid reason under the sun for Trump to otherwise be so fearful of offending his good friend, Putin.
Mr. Mueller, I truly hope you are very successful.
5
It is so difficult to read about Trump and Putin while also reading about Puerto Rico, gun violence in schools and elsewhere, opioids, bridges failing, the health care mess and so much more. And Putin and FBI bashing are what he finds to be of the utmost importance.
6
Let's hope this exchange won't take place again in 2024. Not only because Trump will have hopefully fallen from power, but also because Putin should not be eligible to run again. He will have reached his term limit, and one can only hope that Russia will not amend those limits in the coming years...
What would Puppetmaster Putin have done if his American Gauleiter hadn't kow-towed to him via telephone?
Released his tax returns?
4