Doesn't it look for all the world as though the current resident is daring us to take our collective hook & yank him off the stage? I'm certainly game; who's with me?
2
Russia owns Trump, lock, stock and barrel.
Russia bailed him out of his last bankruptcy.
Russia interfered with the 2016 Presidential election.
8
This is not chaos. This is part of a systematic plan to inure the American public to a continuous stream of lies and contradictions, concerning topics big and small. Once the public gives up on trying to figure out what is really happening (as any logical person eventually will...), then Trump has won.
On a very related note, McConnell announced he will bury any Senate attempt to protect Mueller. McConnell thus announces he would prefer to have more power and money in a dictatorship, rather than less power and money in a democracy.
What's next? Reichstag fire, or Night of the Long Knives, or Kristallnacht? Your guess is as good as mine.
6
'Ms. Sanders added that “the president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia,"'
Sanders knows how to speak like a professional lying bully. She has been clear that's what she is. She opens her mouth and out comes another offensive example. Every time. What rotten creatures we have dishing aggressive lies to us daily. Haley seems different though, apart from knee-jerk support for whatever Israel does. She probably won't last long.
4
Yep, Vlad definitely has film.
7
Trump dreamed of his name on skyscrapers across the entire former Soviet Union
Weeks before his inauguration, Donald Trump was allied with a company in the former Soviet republic of Georgia that planned to build a 47-story luxury tower in the Black Sea resort of Batumi.
But the company, Silk Road Group, had business ties and relationships that could have been problematic for a sitting U.S. president. Over the years it had oil trading and transport deals with companies in both Russia and Iran, countries currently facing varying degrees of U.S. and European financial sanctions.
It was also a strategic fuel supplier to U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, and had partnered with a Kazakh bank whose former leader is accused of stealing billions and laundering some of it through luxury real estate in the United States, including Trump-branded condos.
None of this is revealed in Trump’s financial disclosure statements. And since he hasn’t released his tax returns, these sorts of relationships are not apparent.
Trump ventured more aggressively into the former Soviet empire from 2005 to 2015 than has previously been known.
At least 159 of the 565 companies Trump listed in his most recent disclosure report, released on June 16, were tied to business abroad.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in U.S. elections and possible obstruction of justice by Trump may delve into the Trump business empire.
Actually the "President" has made it clear that he wants us to think he is tough on our enemy Russia while he concentrates on having a "good relationship" w/ Dictator Putin.
If Nikki Haley didn't already know it, she now knows that her boss Donald trump cannot be trusted.
4
He will decline to add sanctions to Russia. No bank in the US gives credit to Trump due to his SIX bankruptcy "protection" he has filled during his business life... many big banks have shunned him, but the Deutsche Bank AG has been a steadfast financial backer of Trump. This bank has participated in loans over $2.5 billions to companies affiliated to Trump and lent more of $300 million to Trump; money linked to Russian money laundering scam.
2
Nikki Haley probably has a bloody tongue today from biting it all day.
1
Trump is pro trump and anti-American. Comforts a enemy that has launched a attack on our Country. Stop beating around the bush Congress. This is treasonous. He is bankrupting is with unsustainable debt. If this Congress is so corrupt, they must all be voted out.
1
why should we impose sanctions against Russia every week, let's just stop the relationship altogether
1
Chaos. Utter chaos. What a way to run a country.
9
While Trump said he was talking to the Rocket Man, he was actually talking to a couple of Russian oligarchs he owes hundreds of millions to. They're getting squeezed by sanctions and they instructed Trump to back off...or else.
3
Haley is getting everything she deserves for getting near Failing 45. I can't wait to find which of his crimes she's covering up.
3
Seriously, what do the Russians have on this guy? Could there Trump be any more obsequious to Putin if he tried?
3
Vlad gave him a call and told him no sanctions.
4
when America goes down, it will all be on the GOP voters and conservatives voters shoulders. Out of 18 candidates this is the guy that you chose?! You had no good Republicans that served in public office for decades? You could only find female candidates that were billionaires?! You didn't trust in your own Republican party that you had to choose an old rich white guy outside of Public Service?!
2
Ms Haley should have conferred first with the Russian Ambassador. I'm sure he could have told her what Donald Trump was planning.
7
The loose cannon rolls to the other side of the deck. Everyone on board better look out. Or better yet, jump ship.
2
And the base could care less. They would learn Russian and pledge allegiance to the Russian flag if Trump told them to.
4
Haley has large ambitions. She would be wise to resign and admit her mistake in accepting a position in the most incompetent and corrupt administration in history. She isn’t stupid and must realize that she is viewed as mere collateral damage to the destroyer-in-chief.
3
It's this frighteningly simple...
Can't pretend your way to global pre-eminence - any more than Greece could purport to be Germany in the EU - if your policy and politics are a conflicted and corrupted mess...
.....
Time for triage - and quick:
> The Koreas unify, and - based on consumer-based market opportunity and geography - move into China's sphere as Mexico once moved into the US's...
> Goes for many other Pacific Rim countries - China and India should seek long-term alignment along the lines of what the US and Europe established a century ago...
> Russia should think of itself like Australia - resource-rich and relatively less-populated - equally accessible or inaccessible to several continents, depending on how you view things...
> The greater Middle East should (continue to work to) define itself by being more of a hub for global transportation and trade, versus global unrest...
> Africa should insist on China (continuing at) being a better global partner than any of its colonizers ever were...
> The Cities of London, Manhattan, Hong Kong, and several more can co-exist...Always room for one more (self-made billionaire)...
> Likewise the Capitals of Moscow, Munich, and several dozen more...Actually quite stable to have many more capitals of people than capitals of capital...
.....
It's the global economy, stupid...
Leave Orwell to his land - and Solzhenitsyn to his...
PS
Something else is frighteningly simple...
The software of stuxnet...
1
Just a guess- hard liner John Bolton favored the tougher sanctions and pushed for them.Trump may have temporarily agreed but got up on Sunday morning and changed his mind.No need to notify the cabinet and aids, just go with your gut.No matter you cause chaos and confusion and hang your UN ambassador out to dry- at least the Russians were not rattled.
Putin knew what he was doing when he pushed the Trump candidacy. With Trump in the White House America is weakened!
3
And the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round. 'round and 'round. 'round and 'round. And the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round'. All through the town (oops. I mean White House). Poor Nikki. She was one of the few competent people in the administration. She's apparently on her way out.
2
FLIP FLOP. FLIP FLOP.
DJT hasn't made a true decision in 16 months.
Leadership is rationally reasoning a choice and sticking to it.
Paris climate accords, TPP, NAFTA, tariffs, air strikes, sanctions on Russia ad naseum. All significant world altering decisions made then remade.
"he was for the war before he was against it" multiplied by 1000!
Why does everyone in DC let him get away with it?
5
Don't understand how in a democracy one man can run a country on whatever whim takes his fancy on any given day. What is the point of Congress and the Senate being there don't they have some sort of control over policy?
3
Could it be that Trump understands that sanctions on Russia will not improve the situation in Syria. Punishing already desperate people hardly ever works. Politically, Putin has nothing to loose Domestically by defying the Western Powers. Like the Soviet Union before him he needs an enemy like all totalitarian dictators before him to convince his people that the West, his enemy, is out to do him in. He presents his actions in his new found status as a major player on the global political stage confronting the West. Sanctions by the West would confirm this for his people. Either that or Putin has the goods on him.
Always Putin's boy, our Donald.
Whatever Putin's has on him, I'd forgive if Trump just ONCE acted like he cares about the country.
7
Probably money.
1
Are we surprised by this turn of events? Putin's puppet scores another one.
11
Once again, Trump LIES, the press reports it and then calls it a "shift"?
And know-nothing-about-foreign-affairs-mouthpiece Haley is another utter joke as UN Ambassador! The USA is, again, a laughingstock to whole world, which is both terrified and incredulous at the level of corrupt incompetence.
5
I wonder in what way Trump receives his orders from Putin.
9
They have a secret back channel. One of the Trump tower servers talks directly to Alfa Bank.
2
Haley, go home!!! You were a rising star of the Republican party - I am a lifelong Democrat - and this man has destroyed your career as he has done to some many other highly qualified people. Haley, sleep with dogs and you get fleas, unfortunately. Why weren't you smart enough see this? Raw ambition? Perhaps.
8
Why are we so afraid of Assad? It’s pathetic. He’s the one responsible for gassing children. Go after the head of the snake, not the tail, stupid. That’s where the poison is. America’s obsession with political correctness has literally turned it into a basket case. Good riddance.
1
How do you go after the head of the snake in this most complicated civil war I have ever witnessed in my lifetime (62 years). If you mean assassination of Assad, I do believe he is still recognized as the head of state in Syria by the United Nations and thus has the legal authority to ask Russia and Iran to help him put down a rebellion. Haven't you figure out yet that the West can only do what they are invited to do by Assad, unless he clearly violates international law by using banned poison gas.
Looks like Putin yanked his chain and decided to rein him in a bit. Trump was allowed to make some noise to reduce the image of lap dog, but that freedom can't be allowed to go too far. Vlad finally said "play time is over. Time to get back in line!"
7
Okay, but there's still no reason to believe that Trump has any devious or ulterior connections to Russia, or that Russia has any compromising facts on the president. Right, Trump supporters? Make America Great Again!
This is the sorry mental state that infects a distressing portion of the U.S. electorate. America is attempting it's best to commit intellectual suicide.
3
How come there was no chemical release in the air after they bombed the facilities?
1
And we seem to be unable to remove him from office.
3
JFK did precisely this same thing to Adlai Stevenson, embarrassing him in the UN when he duped him into unknowingly lying about the Bay of Pigs attacks.
I am laughing heartily at Nikki Haley being the good cop in this episode of: Treason, Trump Style.
4
Nikki Haley has never been a great favorite of mine, but I do respect her, and she beats out the president in the honesty sweepstake by a couple of dozen country miles. If she doesn't resign and explain exactly why she is leaving this sinking ship, I will lose my respect for her (I am aware that this won't cost her a single minute of sleep).
3
The new US sanctions targeting the money of Putin's key backers upset the Russian oligarchs too much. Time for Putin to pull hard on the Don's leash again.
2
This story is just another dollop of a crystallization of fact. That the leader of the free world (Commander in Chief) is compromised. And by compromised, I mean to our national security, safety of our citizenry and armed forces. Absolutely no decision (none, zero, zich) that comes from the desk of POTUS can be parsed for efficacy without first considering 'what's in it for Russia'. Checkmate Putin.
3
Any of Trump's minions grab the headlines for stating and clarifying White House policy run the risk of being contradicted by Trump. He thinks of this swerving as his signature leadership move, and it is always be better to be seen as unpredictably spontaneous and boldly going it alone, even if it undercuts trust with our allies, or undermines the people who work for him. I have a feeling he thinks it imparts some élan to his public image. Whereas, it just makes him look like an incompetent imbecile, forever flapping any way the breeze is blowing. I pity the people who work for him.
3
Poor Nikki, she is as obnoxious as her boss. She must have known she was standing on shaky grounds when she made the statement. They still have no evidence to show proof of a chemical attack, that will not change either. If there was real evidence they would have shown it, why else have it? The missile attack destroyed buildings they must have known were empty for a long time. It all is like science fiction. Just like the time they dropped the MOAB and we never ever saw or heard what happened and where it was dropped, not even a sign of an explosion on the ground. It is just surreal.
4
In the immortal words of Gomer Pyle, 'Surprise, surprise!'
4
You'd think Nikki would have checked with her Russian counterpart at the UN to get approval for such a statement. No reason not to cut out the middleman.
5
Why am I not surprised?
1
No sanctions. The boss has spoken. Putin, that is.
8
Niki Haley says "She doesn't get confused".
How can you not believe her? Kudlow and hacks try to walk it back and blame her. Trump is an incorrigible liar.
4
The Stephen Sestanovich quotes in this article seem to wisely summarize 45 and his adminitration. Meanwhile Larry Kudlow openly threw Nikki Haley under the bus with his "the little lady got ahead of the curve" comment.
3
Prez can't keep his mind made up 'bout nuthin'!!
2
Duh, of course he's not going to lay sanctions on his buddy.
2
Nikki Haley could do us all a great favor and lead the way out the door. A mass resignation of all Trump appointees with an ounce of decency and integrity is needed here. Mattis should be the second person out the door. Kelly should follow. Now I'm fresh out of suggestions for Trump appointees with an ounce of integrity and decency.
3
Impeach Trump and remove the entire lot of them. Worthless, horrible...
2
Putin has to LOVE this.
He must be beside himself with joy. He's an intelligence guy and this could be one of the most successful post-WWII intelligence operations, ever.
4
Perhaps perhaps Trump wanted to destroy Syria’s existing stock of chemical weapons (at a cost of many millions to the U.S. taxpayer) in order to create a need for new inventory, this benefiting his Russian friends who make and sell it. That is the only explanation that makes sense in this scenario.
1
Seems like the confusion was that she thought she was special and would fare differently. No such luck. Ambition drives people to take jobs in this admin, nothing loftier than that, and they get what they deserve.
2
Haley should've known. There's no way Putin's puppet is going to impose sanctions on Russia. He owes his presidency to Putin. And Russian oligarchs are an essential source of capital for Trump's business ventures. Putin owns him.
3
Is anyone surprised that this President blows in the wind like a leaf falling from a tree? He has no principles, actually, he has no depth, and he has no allegiances toward anyone besides himself. He demands loyalty, but with regard to the people he depends on he doesn't even understand what the word means.
1
Putin must be laughing himself to sleep at night, knowing he has the American president in the palm of his hand. Trump is not only an embarrassment, he is probably the most dangerous man on the planet, with no regard for the truth, and an ego that borders on pathologic. Both dems and repubs are backing away from him, but not one of them has the guts to start a conversation about the 25th amendment. What's it going to take, another endless war?
3
So Putin vetoed more sanctions. Big surprise.
3
But the White House contradicted her on Monday, saying that Mr. Trump had not approved additional measures..."
When will Trump give the U.S. Presidential_Medal, 'O, Freedom to V. Putin in a Rose Garden - ceremony? And if/when such a travesty occurs...
Will we find out, only, after Russian photographers, (rather than U.S. media), display it...like we did when the Russian ambassador and U.N, Rep. were hosted, by Trump, in the Oval Office?
Putin probably reminded Trump his intelligence asset via backchannel, that Trump works for Putin and not the other way around.
I'm not sure having good relations is all that important now with a country that has illegally annexed territory of two sovereign nations (Georgia and Ukraine), interfered in our presidential election and who knows which other elections, and has apparently tried on more than one occasion to buy influence on the president.
And they call North Korea a rogue nation....
2
Once again, this administration literally does not know what it's doing. I long for the good ol' days when that statement used to be just a generic, hyperbolic insult.
1
Why there is this consistency in strategy and policy enforced by President to reject sanctions, investigations and any finger pointing against Russia . If any fear of blackmail form Russia , as talked about in the Media is driving the Administration ? Notably, high Cabinet officials, Adviser , Staff members are being forced out, and asked to resign from their jobs . If AMb. Haley would be next ? No surprise to find Trump administration in disarray and chaos for the last 15 months . What do you think ?
2
Is it possible he owes them money? I mean, a LOT of money?
2
Trump had to appear tough on his Russian allies so he bombs Syria letting those allies know to get out of the way then stops any other action against those allies.
What do they have on him? Lots of posturing against Russia but only a lot of smoke and mirrors.
1
the president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia, but at the same time he’d still like to have a good relationship with them.”
———————-
Binary division of Cold war era is not worth repeating, it shall destabilize global order. Obama Presidency had tried Russian reset twice and failed. Consequently Syrian war deteriorated. If President Trump succeeds now, it shall be a big breakthrough. Not just Syria, it may improve scope of Korean resolution as well as settlement of Ukraine borders.
Think it is worth considering the third Russian reset effort with an open mind. There are potentially other spinoffs. It will enhance energy security of Europe, inch up global economic growth rate, and could persuade Iran to come clean and conform to international law.
In the looming pivotal contention in Asia-Pacific, a powerful independent player like Russia is a better option for stability in the region than a contra-aligned one.
No country on the face of the earth should ever take at face value ANYTHING that the U.S. says. We have become duplicitous, evasive, unreliable, and hardly worthy of any admiration whatsoever under this administration. I want my country back and I don't care what party it is.
4
This latest extraordinary incident involving Russia shows two things:
(1) This "administration" is in utter chaos. Can anyone imagine what would have happened if Susan Rice, former U.N. Ambassador, made a very specific statement at the U.N. about actions the U.S. would be taking against Russia, only to have Obama say "Oh, never mind"? It is utterly naive to think Haley was freelancing when she made her statement about sanctions against Russia; Haley no doubt consulted closely with other people in the WH before making her statement. She has now been made to look like a fool by Trump -- but I guess she must have known her job was dangerous when she took it.
(2) Trump is going to the most mind-bending lengths to protect Russia, and that can mean only one thing: they have the goods on him.
If Haley really cared about her political future, she would resign her position immediately.
5
How does ANYONE not want to know why Trump behaves this way, no matter who they voted for? The GOP seems all too happy to cover it all up, without even knowing what the 'it' is. Will we really throw away our democracy?
1
Sometimes truisms, however cliched, actually are true. Here's one that Nikki Haley should have considered by now:
"Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas."
I would suggest that anyone contemplating joining the Trump Administration or working with Mr. Trump in any capacity consider investing in one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&fie...
1
Trump has had many chances to stand up for US over Russia and he has failed every single time. It's almost as if he's in Putin's pocket. Really makes you wonder.
Why? Trump is refusing to carry out his duty to protect and defend the American people. We deserve an explanation and should be demanding an answer to the question of why he is refusing to be the commander-in-chief.
I am not the least bit surprised.
I am angered, disgusted, and embarrassed...once again.
We have got to win back the House 11-2018. It's our only answer to reigning in this zealot's actions.
1
Here’s what this is really about. I hope the top media companies jump on this:
Trump has delayed the announced sanctions so that his oligarch pals and Putin can protect their assets before they go into effect.
I’m just a guy paying attention. No source(s), no proof. But if anybody in a position to track this down will do the work, they will discover it’s true. An international criminal sits in our White House.
5
Ambassador Haley,
You were played.
Welcome to the club.
5
Former FBI director James Comey testified before Congress Donald J.Trump never expressed interest in what could be done to prevent yet more election interference by Russia.
Intelligence agents also informed Trump the Russian hack was “the political equivalent of 9/11” yet Trump never considered it a real threat nor took the warning seriously or thoughtfully.
It begs the question--- WHY?
Obviously he is compromised by Russia.
2
Can there still be any doubt that Putin is pulling the strings of Trump the Russian Puppet? America has been taken over by a foreign ruler without a shot being fired.
2
t's pretty clear. Putin let Trump drop a few bombs with zero effect on Assad's genocidal attacks. But when the line is crossed into sanctions--the thing that really hurts Putin and the Russian economy--then I'm sure Vlad called Donald and ordered him to stop.
Whatever Putin has on our president must be more than just embarrassing.
2
I just can't believe the comments on here. This is WMD's all over again. What you're all doing is beyond irresponsible. You're promoting war even if you won't admit it. What happened to the adults in the room? It appears they are nowhere to be found in either party.
2
Old 180 strikes again, throwing Haley under the bus in the process. Par for the course. Haley may get her walking papers, who knows.
2
"What chaos? You’re reporting chaos. We’re not in chaos. We’re a well-oiled machine. We got one of the smoothest running machines in the history of machines. We got one of the best administrations in the history of administrations." DJT, Feb 17. 2017
Unless I missed it, DJT has not repeated that fatuous description lately. Could it be we are all wrong, and he IS capable of perceiving absurdity after all? Say it isn't so! Poor Nikki Haley got ahead of her skis, and went heels over tea kettle, surely someone can spin that into the equivalent of a triple axel?
To all American voters:
Remember: November.
The Framers of the our Constitution
2
Haley was already non-qualified for the job to begin with, so this is merely icing on the cake.
Trump's behavior is nothing short of treasonous.
1
Is there anyone left who believes there was no collusion between Russia and Trump?
4
No doubt that President Trump should be trying to defuse tensions and conflicts with Russia. But that isn't what this is about. Someone obviously got to the president in the last couple of days. That someone could only have been agents of the Russians. They've got something on our president. Willingly or not, he seems to be a Russian agent and we ought to do something about it.
1
Russia has done everything except declare war vs. the US and NATO. Fostering and supporting the invasion of Ukraine, massing troops, tanks and weapons on the borders of Estonia, keeping Assad in power through military intervention (including attacks on US backed insurgents and US advisers), supplying Assad with weapons, failing to carry out the terms of its commitment to remove chemical weapons from Syrian control, brazenly threatening the US with weapons that cannot be shot down along with weapons that stop any US attack, as well as consistent cyber attacks and social media tools to distort elections in the US and elsewhere. Despite overwhelming evidence of these actions (gathered by Intelligence agencies across the globe) President Trump continues to cast doubt that Russia had
a hand in any of it, saying that he believes Putin's denial. It is entirely possible that Putin doesn't have anything on Trump, but his past business deals with Russian entities raises the possibility, if not probability, that Putin has something. In addition Trump now has an established record of making strongly worded threats only to not actually take any action (or relatively mild action such as expelling diplomats). North Korea can take comfort in this, blowing off Trump's threats to destroy its country.
1
The right hand doesn't know what the more extreme right hand is doing.
10
Is there a consistent and persistent pattern to the latest action reversing additional sanctions on Russia. From before he took office Trump was working to remove sanctions resulting in Mike Flynn's perjury and firing and then that of FBI Director James Comey who refused to let this "good guy" off. Of course, even before that Russians were offering "dirt" on Hillary Clinton to the Trump high command in return for lifting the sanctions under the Magnitsky Act. Then there was the failed attempt to return the Russian compounds seized by President Obama. More recently, both Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster were fired immediately after giving tough speeches about sanctioning Russia. And, President Trump has been reported that he was tricked into expelling 60 Russians when other nations expelled far fewer "diplomats." And still we hear Mr. Trump protest over and over, "No collusion, no collusion!"
9
I have been watching the second series of "Occupied" wherein the Russians have moved into Norway to "manage" their oil fields. It is interesting to think about how Russia gets other country's politicians to work for them.
Doesn't it seem like Russia has something on Trump?
8
Ms. Haley obviously forgot to check with Mr. Putin before making her announcement.
She will learn that like all others who chose to associate themselves with Trump, whether it be for financial or political (in Haley's case) gain, they all leave with their reputation and ethics in tatters.
7
Coherent and consistant? That's not Trump. Neither is "rational, "moral" or "principled." So he wants to retain a good relationship with Putin? At the expense of the Syrian people?
2
Putin to Trump:
The expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats?
Closing the consulate in Seattle?
Now more sanctions?
Enough
Trump to Putin:
Ok, Vladdy
3
As I read Timothy Snyder’s The Road to Unfreedom, I am more and more convinced that Putin owns Trump financially. All Oligarchs lead to him. Trump is not stupid, he is extremely ambitious and wants to be powerful. Putin’s strategy is to weaken the institutions of the West. What better surrogate than Trump? His strategy is to keep people guessing, to keep confusion reigning. After all, it comes down to who said what: did Nikki Haley “jump the gun”? I hardly think so. Unfortunately for us, Ms. Haley and other in the Administration support Trump’s behavior. This is the kind of complicit behavior that kept Hitler and Stalin in power, and keeps Putin in power. While now, people are threatened with name calling and lies, and being fired by tweet if they call him out, if this behavior continues as the Trump Administration gradually destroys our institutions and the rule of law, we here in America will end up with a regime that will be fatal to those who cross it.
5
Can I just remind everyone that in addition to this, Trump has not done one thing to alleviate concerns that the Russians hacked our election. In fact he has done the opposite by dissembling known facts.
So we see this, and are some how expected to believe it is anything different? Even if Trump were consistent with the rest of his team, there is too much conflict of interest floating in the air. In other words, there is a complete loss of trust for this man and administration over Russia until he comes clean on the blatant election shenanigans.
5
Putin has something financial on Trump. Probably oligarch lending, or oligarch buying Trump properties at inflated prices.
4
In other words, money laundering.
Nikki Haley was very specific to state that sanctions would only go towards companies dealing with Assad and chemical weapons. How could that be anything other than the right step? Why in the world is Trump concerned that this particular step breaks up his Putin bromance? Who does Trump think he’s courting?
2
Q. Define "cognitive dissonance"
A. Trump Administration.
4
The day trump foregoes his comb-over for a Putin-do, is the day we are all done for!
3
Never obey in advance.
Never burn bridges with friends that you might need a loan from.
5
How bout if Russia starts using chemical weapons against Americans or on American soil Mr. President. Will you sanction your Russian buddies then?
2
Trump and Putin staged a theatrical performance over Assad's gassing of Syrians. Russia warned Syria in advance and no damage was done by the U.S. strikes to Assad's capacity for more harm. Meanwhile, Trump could pose on TV and Putin could bluster and threaten. As the Soviet foreign minister once put it, this was a fairy tale for big fools and small children. It seems to have distracted a number of Americans from the raids on Michael Cohen's office, home, and hotel room.
2
The United States elected a President who negotiates out of habit. The newest round of sanctions is leverage for United States negotiators who confront the Russian authorities about the humanitarian crises in Syria.
Does Russia/Putin have something on trump? could there be tapes? If as he always claims isn't guilty of any wrong doing, why should he be worried. Unless he knows that's not the case. So in his mind its better to go slow on Russian sanctions to test the waters. Didn't he say to Comey that even if Melania thought there was a 1 percent chance the stories might be true, that would be bad. What if there was a 99.9 percent there was a tape and it was all true. I don't think Melania would be his only problem.
1
"the president’s decision to reject sanctions left her hanging in public with her credibility on the line."
His rash decision, after singing a different tune in front of the rest of the world, once again, left the US's credibility on the line, not just hers.
As to why he made this decision, only time and Mueller's investigation will tell...
2
As a progressive Democrat, I am dismayed by the so-called liberals in my party who are constantly calling on Trump to be more hawkish and war-mongering with Russia. What short-sighted hypocrites. I hope they know that one can resist Trump's policies without abandoning their core values, but apparently this dichotomy of beliefs is lost on them. It's disgusting the way they push for bombings in Syria and the CIA funded overthrow of Assad, a failed and failing effort that has led to the deaths of 600,000 Syrians and the displacement of millions. This entire Russian collusion narrative of helping Trump win the election was an effort detailed in the book Shattered in which the Hillary campaigned devised and pushed this conspiracy theory to explain her election lose. It's unintended consequence is that we are be driven into a very dangerous and counter-productive foreign policy position with the Russians. It's bad enough we have John Bolton whispering in Trump's ear, we do not need the traditionally anti-war crowd whispering the same thing in the other ear.
2
If there are sanctions, Trump Org cannot sell condos to Russian oligarchs. And other stuff...
2
Just one more piece of evidence that Trump is acting as Putin's puppet, not our head of state with our national interests at heart. Are you happy, Trump supporters? You are supposedly patriots. You know...the whole MAGA thing.
2
That's the way to show Putin not to mess with the US and other countries. Waffle all over the place.
What a mess.
Trump is so weak when he has to stand up to someone who is really strong. Meanwhile, he stomps on the powerless.
Every day is a Trump train wreck.
2
Here we are in a cyber war with Russia and we are ignoring it and now Trump decides to decline sanctions against Russia for supporting chemical warfare. Is Trump on our side or the Russian's? Seems to me like treason, plain and simple.
3
I see the bots are clicking in.
" I think Trump is handling Russia relations well and seem to have an optimal vision to maintain mutually beneficial relations to ensure world peace."
It doesn't take long for some fake news from them to surface. Note the simple spelling mistake.
3
With every day in office, DJT makes Obama look like the greatest president that ever lived.
Actually, DJT makes every president look like the greatest that ever lived.
There is no bottom to DJT or end to his appeasing the kremlin.
Be ready to vote in November!
2
Trump also laid out his Syria strategy which has been ignored by the MSM even after Pelosi proclaimed he had none
See this is what happens when you have a really smart genius for POTUS. Anything goes. Hooray!!
Why not ask him.
Will Haley resign? What a mess,
1
So Putin calls up and says: "Don, what's this I'm hearing from the UN? Now, Don what did we talk about? Do you remember what we talked about? Now, let's get this fixed right away, so nobody has to deal with these embarrassing pictures".
3
Haley is just another prostitute in the land of trump.
3
For 70 years the Republicans have falsely accused the Democrats of harboring traitors and lo and behold they have only to look into their own tent. Doesn't it get crowded in Putin's pocket?
4
I think we now know who the puppet is.
3
I believe this is the final criminal proof that Trump is anti-America and a traitor. He loves Russia more than America. He is beholden to Putin. Putin MUST have something on Trump—perhaps it’s all his illegal loans and hidden bank accounts.
2
Putin called Trump and said: “It’s really raining today, don’t miss the golden opportunity”.
2
Nickey Haley read exactly what she was told to read, approved at least by whoever is in charge at State, whoever is in charge at the NSC (hard to keep track), and Sec Def Mattis. All three. And find it impossible to believe it was not cleared by Trump himself. I worked the UN for four years, and unless we radically changed the clearance process, she got her legs cut out from under her, gave another Coup to Putin, and if I were her, nothing is worth this humiliation.
15
Give him some slack. He may not have had time to read the brief. Plus he had to do some tweeting. Plus he had a tee time in NJ.
2
Haley should resign in protest. Trump is making her look like a fool on a world stage.
19
And she wants to run for president
Working for this imbecile automatically
Permanently stains her.
She is radioactive
No thanks
hang on Nikki
I am sure he still respects you
2
Wee wee tapes
13
Putin owns Trump. Follow the money.
16
In other news, FORMER US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley...
7
If Trump's continuous fear of the Russians doesn't prove the hooker pee pee tape isn't real, I don't know what will.
7
This should serve as additional proof President Trump is bowing before his Russian masters. Sadly America has a lawyer dominated Congress (both Republican and Democrats) too weak to do anything. This action makes the U.S. Ambassador the U.N. look like an uninformed fool.
7
Russian Puppet. Hillary was right. About a great many things, turns out.
14
Putin has Trump grabbed by something...
5
Right before our very eyes, our 'leader' commits treason with another world superpower. And Congress does nothing.
None of this makes any sense at all.
10
How much more is it going to take to demonstrate the compromised state of this aiding and abetting president. Almost nothing has been done to harden Russian meddling in any of the cyber targets since taking office. Only through shame has he has gone along kicking and screaming on all things Russia. Whether it's decades of running the Brighten Beach laundry; a tag team video or any number of high crimes and misdemeanors including placing his fixer at the nexus of republican congressional leverage by appointing thug Michael Cohen Co Chairman of the RNC finance committee.
Extreme paranoia is more than warranted given the facts which are beyond anything but the the most imaginative spy novels ever written.
Sanction blocking; Russian oval office visits; covert agent meetings; cover stories; Enquirer blackmail; Moscow Towers; Eastern Block wives; heads up missile attacks; self dealing government hotel stays; all that's missing is a Kazatsky Dance by the men of the Van Trump family. Wake up and smell the vodka!
9
Makes you wonder what kind of photographs Putin and the Russians have with Trump in, how to say it, in compromising situations with women not named Melania, Marla, or Ivana.
5
Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America is as crazy as a loon. Somebody needs to have him committed before he does something really serious. The world is watching.
8
Nikki Haley is next on the chopping block. I hope she has a night job to fall back upon. It seems that NO ONE can work with/for The Dotard. Are we surprised? He is running OUR country like a petty, poorly-managed mom-and-pop pawn shop (or is that porn?).
How is it possible thatCongress lets him do this? THEY are supposed to be the responsible adults in the room, and a foil for the Executive.
10
Robert Fisk, the award winning reporter from the U.K. Indpendenct is in Douma right this minute. He is reporting that there was no chemical weapons attack and no victims. He mentions that the Swiss have sent in a group of experts in chemical weapons use, complete with mobile laboratory and experts, and the US staffed U.N. “police” is keeping them from Douma “because they lack appropriate permits”. There is something very rotten smelling about our almostnthirdmworld war. It is apparently based on lies.
4
Trump hangs his United States Ambassador to the United Nations out to dry to stay in Putin's good graces. #MMGA (Making Moscow Great Again)
8
Comrade Trump tells his people to make tough statements about Russia for his base, then retracts them since the base will never hear about the retraction on Faux news. The pretend bluster between him and his sponsor Putin is all choreographed
6
Apparently Haley got the Putin memo on the subject a little too late...
5
Ronald Reagan, the president beatified by the Republican Party, was one of my least favorite people occupying the Oval Office, but it is undeniable that he brought the Soviet Union to its knees. While the story of how that happened is complex, the bottom line is that he played hardball, and treated the Soviet Union exactly as it should have been treated: as an existential threat to the United States.
Unlike "Saint Ronny," Trump has made extraordinary efforts from Day One of his misbegotten presidency to coddle, stroke, praise, and fawn over Putin and his thugs. The fact that Trump continuously sucks up to Putin and constantly routes our government away from doing anything that could be viewed as harmful to Russia indicates that the Russians have dirt on him that he is desperate to bury.
Putin, the former KGB agent, understands only one thing: force. Unless and until our government stands up to him with a show of real force, he will continue to get away with murder (literally).
6
Trashy Trump and his Travails
(Hope he’s gone soon)
2
Vlad's pulling on the strings again.
3
The traitor has his instructions from Vlad the Poisoner. How could this surprise anyone?
10
Trump dreams that he would be the lifelong supreme leader of USA.
Meanwhile, Mitch Mc Connel will be judged by history too.
7
And don't forget the lamest of lame ducks, the spineless, feckless outgoing S-o-t-H, Paul Ryan.
4
It appears as though Haley checked her integrity out at ambition's door. History will not be kind to any woman who soils herself working for a con man named Putin, I mean Trump
8
She’s not Hicks. She seems to be trying to do her job even dealing with crazy.
Failing 45 always serves his master in the Kremlin.
9
It's only appropriate that this most unpresidential of Presidents should be slamming his appointees at the Justice Department with one hand while bowing to our great enemy the Russians with the other. In Trumpland, where everything is backwards and truth is always a lie, it all makes sense.
Trump is digging a deeper and deeper hole for the corpse of his malformed legacy while vying for the title Worst US President Ever, which I am pretty sure he already has in the bag.
No gravitas, no deep understanding of anything other than how to be a braggart, a provocateur and twitter bully, listening only to a crazy far right cheering section/echo chamber, and surrounded by the slimiest swamp since Ulysses Grant defamed the White House.
Any idiot can see this, if they're just familiar with the contents of a high school American history book. I certainly can and I am far from being a liberal, haters. But watching the Very Stable Genius at work makes me sadder every day.
7
You must forgive his beloved base, the uneducated, for the lack of knowledge of history, or any other subject matter. You see, textbooks, newspapers, and magazines are filled with words composed of more than three or four letters. Like their hero, they struggle mightily with such complexity. You are referring to (with props to Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson) folks that would have trouble spelling "cat" if you spotted them the "c" and the "t".
Trump is a russian agent, a vulgar crook recruited by Putin to undermine and ultimately ruin the USA and the western world. Putin iis succeeding.
7
Let's hearken to Edward Deming book, 'Out of the Crisis' and consider to keep the organization of government healthy from within and not at loggerheads. What about rolling up the sleeves to help one another rather than so to say fistacuffs? One is constructive and preferrable and mature. Maybe it is time for back to basics somehow.
Who's on first?
2
The 4 stooges. Donald, Mike and Paul.
Worst unqualified crazy president in history. Makes me feel the ship United States if America is taking on water. Get him out before we sink further. GOP are no lifesavers. Money in the pocket.
6
More smoke and mirrors. Trump is just plain dirty.
7
Ms. Haley: “Be certain that he who has betrayed thee once will betray thee again.” J.C. Lavatory.
6
Vlad approves.
2
Take the time to watch YouTube: Frontline PBS
The Putin Files: James Clapper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWLF5pmPF24&t=1s
The Putin Files: John Brennan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWbvJhbPaA
3
Comrade Trump. This dude is totally bought and paid for. Literally.
6
Putin to Trump: Another brilliant move, comrade. That I can tell you.
3
How can he punish his man bro?
Nothing says patriotism like being a pawn to a dictator, Trump doesn't need to be impeached he needs to stand trial for treason, then locked up until they hang him.
This is totally what Comey has been saying about him, he is the new Benedict Arnold.
5
HRC was right. He IS a Putinpuppet.
8
Dear Ms. Haley,
Re: the resume we just received from you.
Your work record is in most respects impressive, but we admit to some trepidation regarding your status with your present employer. Enclosed please find a pie with a file baked inside and a dime for a pay phone. When you make your escape, give us a call and we'll talk.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
9
In short: Nikki Haley is saying what the president should be saying when it comes to adding sanctions against Russia.
4
Accepting the premise that Haley’s announcement was made without authorization, I am astounded that Trump would contradict her almost immediately. Now, he has made her irrelevant at the U.N and embarrassed his own Administration. There were several face-saving ways for the White House to have walked-back Haley’s announcement without all of this resulting damage.
Trump is supposed to thrive on chaos. Instead, it looks to me as if he cannot stand for anyone to take the spotlight away from him, especially when the subject is Russia. The chaos is just a by-product. I guess this means there will soon be yet another job opening for an ambassador.
4
Trump makes it incredible easy to believe the reports of chaos in this administration every hour of every day, with the president leading the charge. Its even more believable that the GOP has no leaders, no policies or even any members of congress who have a back bone, or any concern for this nation. How they sleep at night is beyond the pale, considering the rest of the country are suffering sleepless nights!
8
Severance Niki
go for the Max
45 is RICH ?
3
When Cohen's office was raided, I immediately thought 'Syria will be bombed'.
Then, of course, Syria was bombed.
Right after that, we heard "Tough new sanctions for Russia"; to which I thought ... 'REally? I am so surprised.' ...
I'm so glad predictability has been restored.
6
Mr. Trump sent a powerful message to Moscow clearly stating that he is able to form a coalition very quickly and is willing and ready to use military force when he chooses. He did not overstep militarily and made his point. Note that Mr. Obama backed down with the false promise of Syria giving up its weapons in full, which it did not. It would appear that Mr. Trumps "Red Line" remains Red. Perhaps North Korea is watching.
you must be blind. just because he authorized the bombing of a few buildings its understood they still have chemical weapons. I don't see any difference in his red line or Obama's who trusted Russia to over see the removal of said chemical weapons. Plus why do we keep calling Russia to give them a heads up warning. I thought trump was all about surprises when it came to military issues. trump has had a coalition with Russia long before he was sworn in. why??
2
Yes they are, to see when he pulls out of the agreement with Iran. I am sure KJU will be eager to make deal with the flip-flopper-in-chief. It won't be worth the paper on which it is written.
1
In a world of predators, our country is starting to look like fair game. Mr. Trump's behavior and the resulting weakness in the White House is emboldening our adversaries and worrying our remaining allies. We are becoming more and more isolated because our allies and trading partners don't know us anymore and don't trust us. Meanwhile our enemies are getting stronger. With Trump in the White House we have no effective leadership. With our congress refusing to act rationally, we have no will. Our Judiciary is the only constitutional branch of government still operating effectively but its power is limited.
The last time I had this pervading sense of dread was when Osama bin Laden was still alive. Now its back.
5
There are as many as four issues here. The first, as commenter N. G. Krishnan weighs in on, is whether it is wise to apply these particular sanctions to Russia at this time. A second, as other commenters have weighed in on, is whether the Russians are holding something over our president that prevents him from taking action against them when it is needed. The third issue is his troubling inability to stay to a course of action from day to day.
But the fourth issue is probably the most newsworthy at this point. This is President Trump's refusal to have a basic level of communication and trust with his staff that you would expect at the corner grocery store. Let's say you were a clerk at the corner store, and you asked if there was going to be a sale on potatoes today, and the boss said no way. Then ten minutes later you noticed that he was putting up a poster in the window announcing a big sale on potatoes; what would this do to your morale? Well, multiply this by a zillion, and try to understand how Ambassador Haley is feeling now. And she's just about the last surviving member of the Trump administration with any class and who knows what the heck she's doing.
As a loyal American I hope she doesn't quit, although my fantasy is that she does and runs against President Trump in 2020.
1
And although I am a Democrat I think my fantasy of Ambassador Haley or a Republican as attractive as her taking on President Trump is secretly shared by many Republicans, since they know President Trump is unelectable in 2020, and if no other Republican takes him on the brand is toast.
I remember when John Kerry changed his mind one time and suffered the phrase "flip-flop" for an entire election campaign. Trump changes his mind about important issues every five minutes after watching Faux News.
12
lhc, how about an excited "yehaw" from Dean during his campaign and he's done, to Trump stating he could put a gun to the head to someone in Times Square and he's elected? Lawdy, Lawdy!
3
In light of prior statements, hearing Trump and his apologists insist that there is nothing suspicious about his posture towards Russia is a thing to behold.
"Something is going on," said Trump of then President Obama. After all, Obama chose to fight terrorism without saying "Islamic terrorism," which Trump and his base considered prima facie evidence that Obama was sympathetic to groups like ISIS. Indeed, on a completely separate occasion, Trump forcefully asserted that Obama was, in fact, the "founder" of ISIS. The host, attempting to save the candidate from his own stupidity, suggested to Trump that perhaps he did not mean what he said literally; that Trump meant Obama's actions/inactions had failed to stop ISIS. But no... Trump reiterated that there was no metaphor and that he meant Obama was the "founder." Never mind that Obama ordered enough targeted killings of terrorists (including Bin Laden) that even liberals were a bit uncomfortable with the legality, due process and international law issues. Never mind that Obama brushed aside the protests of countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan as he conducted strikes on pretty much any target of opportunity in their countries. To Trump and his ilk, Obama had divided loyalties.
But now... Trump's changing stories, resistance to sanctions and personal secretiveness (such as his business dealings) with regard to Russia are considered "nothing burgers" by conservatives. Nothing suspicious at all about Trump.
3
“the officials could not explain how Mr. Trump would make Russia pay a “big price” for enabling Syria’s use of chemical weapons, as he promised to do last week after a suspected gas attack killed more than 40 people and sickened scores more outside Damascus on April 7”
Perhaps Trump plans to default on his Russian debt too.
4
The continuing whiplash flip-flops of our Apprentice President make me wonder if Putin called Trump on Scott Pruitt's $43,000 super-secure office phone and said, "Look, Donnie, the other day you appeared to be tough on Russia, promising to add more sanctions. So that's enough for now. Postpone the discussion of sanctions and your docile people will forget all about it."
2
Of course! Why would Donald Trump want to offend his buddy Vladimir Putin? Clearly, Trump has some reason for taking it easy on Russia. More of the same from the worst decision-maker in political history.
2
Trump Declines to Add Sanctions Against Russians .... because he needs their money?
10
What we have here is a schism within a fracture inside a riot within a contagion inside chaos.
19
How much is too much for those like Nikki Haley who attempt to do the right and honorable things for our country? Never in our history have we had a president with so close a relationship as that of Donald Trump with Putin, a dictator. There must come a time of reckoning for Mr. Trump, should the accusations against him be true. Despite his attempts to keep his close association with the Russians under wrap, he must surely realize it will soon be time to pay the piper?
24
Nikki Haley has shown herself to be an honorable thoughtful person, but she is trapped in the Trump chaos. She was the Republican governor of Georgia, however, she was perhaps too moderate for her fellow republicans in that state so she was kicked up stairs to the United Nations where some in her party thought she would do less damage than as governor. But in the end Republicans and Trumpists who do not respect the United Nations probably view her as out of the loop especially with the rise of John Bolton. In any case as others have said, good by, Ms. Haley. You do not fit the stab in the back mold of the Trump fun house.
3
Nikki Haley was the Republican governor of South Carolina.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikki_Haley
1
Just when I start to think may be there isn't collusion with Russia after all, then this happens.
17
Time to say farewell to Nikki Haley...
16
Attention Fox News: cue the car chase!
This is incomprehensible, and incomprehensibly dangerous. Is our UN ambassador making policy on her own? Or was she floating a trial balloon for the administration? What happens if one of these countries believes a threat and retaliates militarily? Is the administration trying to nullify our ability to make credible threats?
If this were a TV show (the Apprentice, for example) they would fire the producer for this kind of incompetence. But we have a lot more at stake than ratings.
7
This tremendous confusion about the USA's international geo-political intentions demonstrates weakness to other nation-states, who plan on vigorously contesting what have, in the past, been our firm claims and influence spheres in various areas of the world. I believe Trump's behavior indicates that he is compromised by Russian (and possibly other) influences, and I do not trust his independent "deal-making" at all. It seems to me that he was held in check by others in the defense establishment during the Friday the 13th Syria strikes, so they were circumscribed. I am concerned about the potential for further and deeper chaos, which seems to be what Trump has the greatest talent for -- that, and distractions, which keep people from focusing on real issues of consequence. I think we will finally get rid of Trump when Israel and her friends realize that he is de-stabilizing the Levant so much that she is threatened.
1
Yes, Trump is still in Putin's pocket. This is harmful to our armed forces stationed in Syria. You cannot be open-ended when fighting an enemy. Now Assad has time to "reload."
9
A couple of years ago Nikki Haley was seen as a potential vice-presidential candidate, a relatively young woman with a promising future in the Republican party.
Now she's been publicly contradicted by Trump and we've already seen with several other officials what's likely to happen next.
Even if she isn't fired, her career will suffer the taint of working in the Trump administration and in the short term her credibility as U.N. ambassador has been compromised.
Where does she go from here, I wonder?
12
Is there a *single* person who gained or advanced in any way after even a passing acquaintance with Trump?
1
She was so publicly eager in order to create some daylight between her and Trump to protect her future aspirations.
Why not wait for Mnuchin to make the announcement ? She even said Mnuchin may have done it already but wouldn't have been aware of such an important announcement?!?!
At the UN Haley hears the concerns from dozens of nations about Trump's alarming reluctance to challenge Putin. The UN provides a "sample size" unlike any other domestic or foreign institution . She shares those concerns and used her announcement as an exit from the sinking ship that is the Trump Administration . She is probably looking at GOP presidential run in 2020.
2
"an administration struggling to find a coherent and consistent voice in dealing with Russia, which in the past four years has annexed Crimea, intervened in eastern Ukraine, sought to influence the American election in 2016, allegedly poisoned a former Russian spy living in Britain and propped up the murderous government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria."
This paragraph could be rewritten:
"A world struggling to find a coherent and consistent voice in dealing with the USA, which in the past 15 years has invaded and occupied Iraq without UN sanction and on a false pretext; led its NATO allies in turning Libya into a failed state; has sought to depose governments and influence elections throughout the world, as it has since WWII; and arms and supports the murderous government of Saudi Arabia in its assault on the people of Yemen."
(and it could continue) "What perplexes and frustrates the world is that there has been no one over the last 70 years to hold the US accountable for all the death, destruction and disenfranchisement it has inflicted on foreigners who have never threatened it. Certainly not the UN, which has one set of rules for the US and NATO, and another, very different, set for all other countries."
If Donald Trump can actually form a friendship between the US and Russia, he will have fixed the profound error made by GHW Bush in continuing the Cold War "by other means" after the Soviet Union collapsed. I wish him luck.
2
Breathe Easy big fella
Vlad put the videos back in the safe
13
Putin is in control.
5
See! See! Proof of Trump-Russia collusion!
You know, unlike the tens of millions of dollars donated by Russian companies not normally known for their charitable endeavors to the Clinton Foundation while Hillary was SoS...
2
Trump is alleged to be a penurious debtor of the Kremlin, which promised to acquit his debt in exchange for future sacrifices of the national interest in favor of Russia.
Historians of the future will wonder how anyone could take such an asinine narrative seriously, just as they will wonder how the country could have allowed 12 million unskilled foreigners into the U.S. without any process at all.
Hank, those allegations will likely prove true. This has been well understood in banking circles for months before the election. And guess what? I'll bet that most of those "unskilled workers" have now found jobs.
1
Can you imagine what would happen if a high definition video were released to the world showing Trump cavorting and enjoying himself immensely while Russian prostitutes urinate on a bed that was supposedly slept on by Barak and Michelle Obama when they were in Russia? There is nothing in the universe that could erase the effect of that, and Trump fully knows that, so let's just sit back and enjoy Trump's antics and machinations as he desperately tries to keep this from hammening.
11
Don't really need the pee for the video to be shocking. Russia is famous for using beautiful women to entrap the foolish. Could Trump resist? Probably not.
2
My mother was bi-polar and whenever you walked into the living room, you had no idea which mom was waiting. Was it super-intelligent mom who watched Dick Cavett every evening and got his clever jokes? Or tawdry mom obsessed with the National Enquirer and the lives of celebrities who lived thousands of miles away. Violent ex-Marine mom barking out orders while grabbing hair and swinging? Catatonic mom crying over her last broken marriage? She had 4.
Donald Trump reminds me of my mother. He goes back and forth, up and down, lashes out like a wounded animal, and does not seem to be able to hold a thought for more than 48 hours. And his relationships with his staff remind me of mom and her marriages. Chaos and a revolving door.
Mom would sometimes get so bad that the police would show up and take her away in a straight jacket. Donald seems to be heading down that same path.
My heart goes out to Nikki at this moment. It sucks to be humiliated in public by someone close to you. She can do better than Donald.
19
No pity for Haley.
Like Condaleeza Rice, she was over her head from the start.
If she had any integrity, she would resign.
But, that is asking too much of nearly anyone in the GOP.
1
Putin picked up the phone and threatened release of the hotel photos.
So, this is a country - with a band of idiots at the helm?
thanks idiot voters.
22
The Republican Party has been infiltrated with Russian enablers and we can’t recover our Democracy till we remove them from office and that includes Sessions, Nunes Miller and others—all fascist sympathizers filled with self-ingrandizing dreams.
16
Just read a story in Rolling Stone that claims that the NRA has been infiltrated by Russia as a way of encouraging the Alt-Right. Would not surprise me if true.
1
I think there's a misprint in the headline, "Trump Rejects New Sanctions Against Russia, Changing Course." I believe it should read, "Trump Rejects New Sanctions Against Russia, Of Course."
28
The chaos continues. It is so obvious Putin has this guy by the ear. (I am being polite.) And no, I do not want to see the videos of prostitutes and Trump. My eyes! My eyes!
16
We can assume anything that involves Donald Trump and women is disgusting. We don't need to see the tapes. Donald Trump is a proud abuser of women and treats women like dirt.
2
How many "pee tapes" are there?
We really need to see Trump's tax returns: It would answer the question of why Trump is compelled to do Putin's bidding.
13
Perhaps Trump was reminded of a video that could be released confirming the most "golden" moments from the Steele dossier.
14
Trump is uncannily like the hapless Colonel Cathcart in Joseph Heller's " Catch 22." Everything to him is either a "black eye," or a "feather in his cap" and nothing else actually matters, except that perception.
Ms. Hailey did a good job Sunday of making the president feel tough, and she dutifully parroted the backhanded anti-Obama insult-comic talking points about Syrian "red lines" (points awarded, a feather in Trump's cap) but she unfortunately also made a statement that sounded a bit too much like actual policy, instead of heaping more platitudes on the operation's "Mission Accomplished" to show Trump's greatness (thus, a black eye).
Trump assessed the "black eye" and quickly replaced it with a "feather in his cap," to show us he was impressively in charge, and making impressive, decisive decisions.
Literally everything Trump does can be explained by this paradigm.
13
The stupidity of putting the words 'locked and loaded' into a speech is pretty much unforgiveable.
Juveniles running our country.
Plays well with the flags-in-the-back-of-the-truck crowd.
3
Great analogy, Taylor.
1
How many more times do you suppose Haley will make speeches and demands only to have it all reversed by Trump. Her credibility at the UN is pretty much zero at this point. Not sure why she is even there.
14
Being at the UN is good for her political resume. With Trump as President, she won't be able to accomplish anything substantive, but being the UN Ambassador looks nice for this token woman.
1
Being the U.N. ambassador isn't so great after you have had your credibility busted. Essentially, the USA no longer has a credible U.N. ambassador.
This is wonderful news for the prospects of a peaceful world.
Russia and the United States could be great friends and allies if left-wing politicians would stop demonizing Vladimir Putin.
With an alliance between the two nations, Russia and America would dominate the world for centuries to come.
1
Spicebo, dedicated Kremlin troll.
No one needs ‘domination’.
Keep trolling.
13
No offense, Rolf -- but what planet are you on???
12
@Rolf:
Ha, ha, ha! Looks like Vladimir's hackers are still trolling along. Where is Grebbestad anyway? My guess is that it's somewhere just outside of Moscow.
6
What else can be driving Trump's reluctance other than he has been compromised by the Russians. There is no other logical explanation.
10
There are not-quite-surprisingly very very few comments that actually ask for reducing the heat between Russia and America. I am also adding my voice to that small list.
Nikki Haley had been ahead of the curve on a number issues leading to a ‘cold-war’ with the state department. We do not know whether this is a revenge of the State Department. However, there should be only One organization for Foreign Policy and that should be the State Department. Period. Having two centers of foreign policy (state dept and UN representative) would lead to a bipolar disaster as we see now.
All the comments who are arguing against Trump, I would make one request: “Stop Thinking in Ones and Zeros”.
Russia attacked us in 2016 by meddling in our election. Did you forget?
1
... and Madam Clinton tried to 'attack' Russia by meddling in their 2011 elections. Only Madam Clinton's actions were stupid and stale while Putin extracted a thorough internet based revenge.
But if you keep going back then you might note that Russia helped USA during the Civil War and World War II
Anyone surprised by this turnaround is not paying attention.
4
Don Trump, like many of his ilk, do not think he works for the system that allowed him to be the person he is. Don Trump thinks America works for him.
His alliance is not to the Country he flourishes in he works for the people who let him money.
Show us your Tax Returns!
17
Oh my, Putin must have called and told Donny he would release the video tapes.
28
How any decent person would ever want to work for Trump is beyond me. He campaigned on a "promise" to "drain the swamp". Instead, he has added to the cesspool that is the White House. Folks, we ALL need to vote in the mid-term elections and absolutely in the 2020 Presidential election to put this nightmare behind us. Think of your children and grandchildren, please.
20
Ambassador Haley has been issuing bellicose threats to member nations of the UN and the Security Council. She needs to take a chill pill. And this pullback by the president will send the right message for her to never get out in front of the president again. Trump acceded to the demands of the globalist hawks to launch surgical strikes, not give momentum to a cascade of actions that could lead to deepening conflict with the only other nation on the planet with the capacity to completely destroy our nation.
3
Trump did not accede to the demands of globalists. He was playing to his base that wants firework thrown around by a "strongman". The we globalists want a stable world, not Trump chaos.
7
Ambassador Haley’s job is to relay government policy to the United Nations. She is just a spokesperson for the government. Her job is NOT to write policy. She was just doing her job in the same way that Sarah Sanders represents the government for the media. Trump is the one at fault here. He is illustrating his slavish devotion to Putin and making his own government look incompetent.
If Haley had any self-respect she'd resign since Trump just publicly made her look like a fool whose words are meaningless. No one with common sense wants to work for someone who undercuts them.
13
Well, we can't hurt our buddies in Russia now can we. That's why the sanctions we've put place were cream puff stuff and of no reall harm to the holders of whatever information or evidence it is they have that obviously can destroy him. I do believe if they asked for Ivanka he'd gladly give her to them. He has no soul, he's kind of like a slug in human form.
7
And this guy ran, saying he would be tough on our adversaries, not like Obama.
9
The schism is not just between Trump and the national security team. It is between Trump and the nation.
Trump is compromised. It is obvious.
22
There is no strategy here, only cowardice or reluctance and there has to be a reason. Trump continues to avoid any conflict with Putin and I don't think it's fear of him but fear of what Putin has on him or that his dreams to brand Moscow with 'TRUMP' everywhere might not happen.
This is not right and it's dangerous because Trump's admiration for the autocrat strongmen is a policy this country never supported.
It's time for the GOP to speak out and do something to reign this questionable behavior in. Not just Trump's but Putin's.
As for Haley, good luck to her. She might as well not speak publicly and just work behind the scenes. All of them in this administration look ridiculous, more and more each week. Moving up, then down, then back around is not policy or strategy, it's just nuts and reckless and in the end, foolish.
8
Do you want conflict with Putin? Do you think that would be a good thing?
We already have conflict with Putin. Doing nothing and avoiding reminding him of it is not a good thing.
The president should have backed up Nikki Haley when she announced further Russian sanctions. The president impulsively changing his mind and constant course changes pulls the rug out from those in his administration who follow protocol, have an agreement with the president, and collaborate with others in the administration on foreign policy, and have a longer term vision for US foreign policy. The president always wants to be a one person show and makes everyone else around him subject to his constant whims...
7
It is highly unlikely that Nicky Haley just made this up and it's far more likely this was told to her from the top. But then you get used to things like this when you work for a dissembling back stabber.
11
Seems to me like Russia's "Operation Manipulation" has begun!
There is nothing else here that can make Trump go from chest-puffing, hurling idle threats', feigning contempt towards Russia,post Syrian attack to flat-out declination and especially when Putin reiterated retaliation towards the US.
1
Trump has his marching orders...
6
Of course trump rejected sanctions against his bromance buddy Putin! This should throw up red flags for everyone...He attacks constantly: Obama, Clinton, FBI director Comey, DOJ, Mueller, members of Congress, all media (except Fox). I would think he really needs to move to Russia where his heart and money is. After all he is trying to destroy many of our Government Agencies. Had enough yet people ?
6
But if he moves to Russia, he can’t be #1!
Even "No Collusion" needs to be paid for; the Russians have just gotten their check.
4
Every day that goes by in which "Collusion" is not provable by a huge investigation force and all the power of the FBI, is another day in which Trump's position gets stronger.
Its only provable or not when the investigation concludes. Ultimately could be a host of different crimes. That's what investigations do, uncover what the swamp dwellers are up to.
To adapt the quote of the Bard: "Something is rotten in the (United States)." The thing is Trump.
4
“Trump seems to think that if he accepts what his advisers recommend on even days of the month and rejects their recommendations on odd days, the result will be a strategy.” He’s just taking a page from his favorite intelligence source: in Trump’s mind, this must be “fair and balanced.”
1
Gee, what a surprise. Wouldn't want to make his boyfriend too mad!
3
Case closed. The Russians have succeeded in controlling the White House. It is now up to the Congress and the "deep state" to keep us safe from our most serious and vicious adversary. Let's just stop assuming that the President has any intention of placing the U.S. first.
13
Trump as president is an inept as he is corrupt. The Republican Congress is standing behind their would be dictator though— corrupt loyalty.. Where is the law to protect Mueller? It should have been passed months ago!!
You can be sure Ryan is not for it. He has not stood up for decency in years. He has Forgotten what that is.
4
Trump only follows the voice in his ear piece- Putin. Sad!
3
Move over, Colin Powell. Nikki Haley just got more humiliated than you at the UN by a President even worse than yours.
10
Can’t imagine what it must be like working for this guy? How important is a politicians career that they attach themselves to him?
1
So Trump thinks no more sanctions are needed because Russia responded with bluster? I guess the master of bluster should recognize it when he hears it but the attacks didn't have any impact on Putin's plan for Syria. Why would he do anything more drastic than complain?
3
Isn't this just another episode in the reality show?
Don: "Nikki, announce additional sanctions against Russia."
Nik: "You're going to walk them back, right?"
Don: "You're such a smart lady."
Nik: "Just so I'm clear on this, Mr. President: We want to show Russia and the world that we're capable of being tough. But at the same time you want to show Russia that you've got their back so they don't reveal compromising info on you. "
Don: "Good cop, bad cop."
Nik: "And you're the good cop?"
Don: "You're such a smart lady. Now get me my coffee."
4
The pee pee tapes don't sound so funny now right? of course Putin has something/many things on him. He used to visit Russia and party there without concerns, never ever thinking that he would be where he is now and compromise as he is now. Please God, bless America.
2
Dear President Trump,
Be a man! Admit that, in anger at President Obama, you hired women to urinate on the bed where he once slept, end Putin’s hold on you, and free yourself to actually put America first and stand up to Russia. Your supporters will admire you for being so brave.
4
I have a serious question. While we are distracted by this daily, endless, riveting soap opera called Trump, what issues does the Democratic Party plan to run on this Fall and in the next Presidential election and who will be the candidate who can articulate issues that appeal to enough voters to make a difference?
7
So far the Trump administration has imposed more sanctions on Canada than on Russia.
That's just weird.
11
“The president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia, but at the same time he’d still like to have a good relationship with them.”
Is that like tough love? It's not working.
4
If Trumps tax returns showed anything to boast about we'd have seen them many times over and over ad nauseum.
The reason they are not presented is obvious.
When Trump is accused of just about anything his response is immediate and furious in denial and invective.It is surprising how tepid and reluctant he is to address the money-laundering stuff.He doesn't want to talk about it if it is mentioned.
5
Putin must be putting out a "director's cut" of the hotel DVD. I guess Amazon will gladly distribute...
2
"President Trump rejected, for now at least, a fresh round of sanctions set to be imposed against Russia on Monday, a course change that underscored the schism between the president and his national security team."
The Russians must have way more on Trump than a pee tape, proof of what America already knows: the man is a corrupt, lying, moral degenerate who was gamed years ago right into the pocket of the Kremlin. He belongs there not here.
4
I think the "golden shower" tape that the Russians have shows more than Trump watching, I think there is one of him participating since that's the norm -- the guy "showering" the woman or women. A "watching" tape would be disgusting but a "participating" tape would probably even force his "base" to gag and abandon him.
Whatever the Russians have -- Trump is terrified of it becoming public.
6
To me, Nikki Haley seems far stronger than the president when it involves foreign policy...we need Nikki Haley in the White House. I see her in that position in 2020...
There is a possible scenario, I believe, where 45 may need Putin’s help. The pressure, it seems, is tremendous and mounting on 45, domestically. Putin, could operate, if need be, in the US as he had in London a few weeks ago.
US foreign policy, with the current administration is based on one man’s opinion and that is 45.
1
These mixed signals have a simple explanation. The national security establishment wants to follow relatively traditional US foreign policy and oppose practically dictatorial rule in Russia. Trump cannot follow them because he must send positive signals to Putin or the pee-pee tapes and some other materials might leak :) from the Kremlin.
Trump and his exposed co-conspirator Hannity have been trying to tell people that the Steele dossier is fake. Trump has even compared the Russia investigation to the non-existent WMD in Iraq. In reality, the only comparison to WMD is this: many people at the time knew that there were no WMD prior to the war in Iraq, just as many people now know that most of the information in the Steele dossier is correct.
4
Will Haley resign after this diplomatic “embarrassment” ?
She should ..Trump’s Administration suggesting that Haley “mis-stated” is pathetic and places Haley in an untenable situation.
Well done Mr. President: Do not let Assad's atrocity snooker you into destroying any chance of dialogue with Russia. That's the real reason Assad did what he did, and whoever advised you not to fall for it did us a favor.
Assad's regime effectively could not exist without the Russians. Assad's Syria is a client state of the Russians. The Russians had to buy off on Assad's atrocity. It is a Russian atrocity as much as it is an Assad atrocity.
Putin must be rolling on the floor holding his sides ! Mr. Trump , bluster will get you nowhere with this wily fox , while you play wiley coyote . Credibility was thrown to the wind the moment he stepped in the White House with his confederacy of dunces and crooks.
1
Please help me to remember: who was a genius, Trump or Putin?
Where does this pull-back on sanctions come from?
Not from most legislators in W-DC, it seems.
How compromised is this president?
Does it really come down to the Russian hotel prostitute video?
Isn't there a corrupt enough inner-circle Russian who can be paid enough to produce the sought after video tape in question?
Or has it reached the inner sanctum of the Kremlin, now unobtainable.
Maybe if Trump gets ousted, the tape's blackmail value, while valuable for the media side , will decline on the blackmail side. What amount of media money could be culled from obtaining the original tape? Could the potential money finally lead to the release of the tape?
Stay tuned, America.
“the president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia, but at the same time he’d still like to have a good relationship with them.”
In other words, he thinks international relations are basically the same as marital relations, Trump style: "Sure, I may be tough on Melania (as with her several predecessors in interest), but I'd still like to have a good relationship with her because, you know, sex."
Thanks, Don, for dragging us down into a kind of moral depravity even Howard Stern couldn't stomach.
Or maybe it's Putin who thinks your his Melania.
2
Most likely, like Comey suggests and most everyone thinks, Putin has something on Trump. At the very least the optics are terrible.
1
If Haley has any presidential aspirations, she should run away quickly. She looks like a weak enabler at this point. Trump consistently under mines her and Tillerson before that. She is only doing harm to her brand.
4
I just don't understand why Trump is so reluctant to address Russia's (which really is Putin's) behavior as a nation in international disputes. Annex Crimea? Invade Ukraine? Poison people in the UK? Prop up Assad for his war crimes? All these things and more, and yet Trump has to be dragged, reluctantly, to impose even mediocre sanctions against Russia and Putin's cronies. Its almost like there is something holding Trump back. Trump is usually so vindictive, so punitive, and so eager to appear 'tough and presidential' - and yet he gives Putin and Russia a pass, over and over. I certainly makes me wonder why.
3
I don't recall voting for a Russian Mafia boss for president. Does anyone?
6
There is no schism here, there might be a communications gap. Try thinking his advisers advise him not decide for him, he apparently listens to them and only then does his job that is to decide. Pretty simple if you have a brain and use it.
You are assuming he has a functioning brain. Never assume.
5
Why are Trump's supporters so blind? This is a terrible man who undermines his own people and is destroying America. How can you believe anything that this liar says? How can Nikki live with herself?
18
Of course he does.
5
Putin in charge as I've repeatedly stated. Trump is his obedient underling.
34
Make no mistake about it Trump is very weak despite all his childish bullying
21
Sure, throw the Woman under the bus. She doesn't deserve better.
Right, Donald ??? If YOU are voluntarily working for Him, you really need to question your choices. Just saying.
13
Why does he even have advisers if he's not going to listen to them? He's wasting our money!
14
Yeah. They've got something on him for sure.
18
Prior to WW2, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain "wanted to be tough on Hilter and have a good relationship too". That did not quite work out the way he expected either. Trump is as useless and cowardly as Chamberlain was and hopefully we won't need a Churchill to save us from Putin's Russians. Trump should step aside and go back to his Casino and real estate scams.
26
It's like a Peter Sellers movie. Chauncey Gardener as President.
8
Chauncey wasn't evil.
I've been saying that since that fateful Tuesday in November, 2016. Of course the difference is that "Chauncey" was a gentle soul, unlike the bullying Braggart-in-Chief.
I think the Russians tried to poison a man and his daughter to send Trump the same message. They aren't fooling around. He better lift sanctions of go to the mattresses!
8
Trump was way too nervous of what his wife would find out from the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant when he stayed at a hotel in Russia and stories surfaced.
Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller told House investigators last November Trump was offered 5 women for his hotel room during the pageant.
We know of the porn star + the playboy bunny---so why wouldn't we believe there's something Putin has on him in that hotel room that makes Trump absurdly loyal to Putin as to sanctions, etc.
12
Most dysfunctional Administration ever. He's scared of something for sure.
27
Insane POTUS. USA demands his immediate resignation and a special election to elect a legitimate President. All Trump appointments, legislation are VOID!
20
No collusion? Yeah, right.
20
Business and politics is a poisonous mixture.
12
This unreliable, unscrupulous lying president must go. Three more years of him are intolerable. Vote Vote in Democratic House. Please.
19
I think Democrats have a new slogan to run with: Make America Great Again!
33
Trump's behavior is normally erratic and inconsistent. His ambivalence and dissembling regarding Russia, however, is clearly unique.
We shouldn't be naïve about the motivations for his behavior. Our president is a dishonest, lying, immoral, and concupiscent operator. The question of what kind of dirt the Russians have on him -- there is no question if they do-- is the only one to be made in order to fathom the reasoning behind his Russian docility.
16
Ooh! Such a cool new word. Concupiscent. I can hardly wait to look it up!
2
Moron works for me.
1
Why would Putin allow sanctions on the homeland?
6
Could he look more guilty?
13
this is conclusive evidence that Putin has something big on Trump, and that Donnie has gone off the deep end.
21
$200mil in Cruise missiles to blow up vacant buildings? Seems like a trade imbalance. Send Putin the bill, and tell him he'll pay the bill for the next action also. If Mexico needs to pay for the wall maybe Russia needs to pay to defend the citizens of Syria. How's that for sound policy? Oh right, I forgot, we can bully Mexico without risk of losing financing for the Trump dynasty. He who pays the piper calls the tune. What would you like to hear next Mr. Putin?
13
Targeting Russia might interfere with Trump's money laundering on behalf of Russian oligarchs.
13
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Conspiracy.
What kind of conspiracy?
The kind that undermine democracies.
16
Donald Trump is clearly afraid of and beholden to Vladimir Putin. Who wouldn't be?
Putin's foes end up in hospitals, mental institutions, prisons, urns and coffins.
10
Oh, I think we know what prevents Trump from imposing full sanctions on Russia: Putin owns Trump. The American people, and every nation that Putin exerts his power over, are the unwilling participants in a scam that involves collusion, perversion and extortion, the result of which is a Kremlin-controlled presidency right here in America.
9
If it weren't impossible that Putin has dirt on him, one could suspect that trump is a Russian agent in the service of the Kremlin.
11
There is nothing wrong with the USA having a trust but verify working relation on nuclear weapons with Russia, a collaboration on the space program and use of Russian space lab., a coordinated effort in fighting terrorism especially ISIS, working at the UN on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, people to people scientific and cultural exchanges. Trump scraping new sanctions could reset relations with Russia after the destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure that angered Russia. America should never forget history during the world war II period when Russia lost more armed forces than any other country and diverted Hitler's army. Had Russia not been a staunch ally of the USA, the world war II outcome could have been very different. For world peace and understanding with Russia, lines of communication have to be open and there should always be a decent level of interaction even if it may be to convey displeasure over Russia's actions that are bothersome to the USA. I think Trump is handling Russia relations well and seem to have an optimal vision to maintain mutually beneficial relations to ensure world peace.
16
Those people are thugs and gangsters. Did you not see what they did to the Crimea after their puppet government got democratically thrown out??? Have you not seen all the money Putin has stolen? What about the people he's had murdered on his own as well as foreign soil. If you think you can have peace with a dictator such as Putin, you are sadly mistaken.
11
As I recall, and I am old enough, America won the war and then the Russians unscrupulously invaded Poland Hungary Romania, eastern Germany etc. Having a “good” relationship with Russia has always been difficult and I don’t see any chance for improvement while they remain under the yolk of Putin’s tyranny. So I wonder what history books you are reading?
13
True as everything you say may be, do you really think Trump is capable of such sophisticated thought, strategic planning, vision, and wisdom? If what you say were true, he would have made clear from the onset that he had no intention of participating in international sanctions. His position would have been known to the American public or the members of his own administration at the very least. Instead, his own UN ambassador knew nothing about it because he did a 180 degree change of direction. Trump governs by impulse, self-protection, and his own misguided instincts. To say he has an optimal vision is absurd.
9
"Ms. Sanders added that 'the president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia, but at the same time he’d still like to have a good relationship with them.'”
Trump's bipolar behavior with respect to Russia -- loud barking alternating with abject tail wagging -- suggests that what Putin has over him is far more incriminating than some silly little sex tape. Think money laundering and tax fraud on a massive scale -- all of which could be leaked by "Guccifer 2.0" to Wikileaks in a matter of seconds.
Let's all remember what finally sent Al Capone off to Alcatraz.
15
Q. Mommy, why can't Trump put tougher sanctions on the Russians?
A. Well, honey, he wishes he could but he just can't--if he does, they will release a video of him doing nasty things in a hotel room.
20
The Beltway warriors and their media water carriers won’t like this.
1
No doubt in my mind that Trump and most Republicans in Congress are beholden enough to the American Oligarchs to hope that Putin and Russia can subvert the 2018 elections and keep them in the majority. Am looking forward to taking my grand kids to visit DC and the new Hall of Treason in a couple of decades where statues of Trump and current GOP legislators will be prominently displayed.
14
Don’t we know this man well enough to understand what happened here? He wanted to be the one to announce it. Everything, no matter how critical and no matter how it affects others, must bow down to this man’s severely crippled ego.
4
The sanctions are necessary. Who is pulling Trump’s chain?
5
This is the right thing to do. You don't want the Russian economy on its back. It is already on its knees. You put the Russian economy on its back and you are going to get blowback (hackers/war games/etc). Save the sanctions for another day.
1
There is no Donald Trump. The man in the Oval Office is an impostor. He was sent back to America after the 2013 Miss Universe Contest. Trump's political activities started up in earnest then. The real DJT was content to amuse himself by stirring the pot and engaging in his pleasures. This version has been on a mission. We must demand a thorough DNA test.
12
Why shouldn't Trump court Putin - they're oligarchs together and the way the Russians must perceive Trump as Putin's dog-on-the-leash must only increase the power he has over them. And actually, Putin is doing a better job as president than our Donald is. Maybe the Republican Congress will approve the merge and accquisition plan for a Russo-US union and turn the EU into satellite nations. The fifty-first star coming from the Russian flag?
5
"Critics said the president’s decision not to follow through on Ms. Haley’s announcement would sap American authority around the world."
This is hardly news. Whatever moral authority we had was squandered when an ignorant would-be mob boss from Queens managed to get himself elected President.
17
Donald J. Trump, the best President Russian money and blackmail can buy. Russia has repeatedly, blatantly and arrogantly played their Trump card and some 40% of Americans thinks that's okay as long as we don't have a black or woman President. They also think taking people's healthcare insurance, actively seeking to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are fine as long as we don't have a black or woman President. Trump and his supporters are everything that's wrong in America and nothing that is good, let alone great.
19
It remains to be conclusively shown whether Trump colluded with Russia, whether Putin has kompromat on him, or whether Trump merely has dreams of lucrative deals for his family in Russia. None of these explanations are good, and his behavior in office only reinforces the general idea that something is very fishy with our president.
The one thing for sure is that no American President would conduct foreign policy in a way that is so generally erratic but consistently favors Putin. It goes way beyond incompetence or a naive desire for better relations.
There's not much question Trump is a man of low character and base desires. He certainly wants wealth and adulation by any means, but carnal indulgences also seem integral to his nature.
With Mueller's team hot on his trail, I expect we'll soon find out if his behavior crosses into criminal or even treasonous territory.
9
Hmm. It doesn't seem to me that the President is acting in the best interests of our nation. What do the rest of you think?
6
I think he is consumed with fear over the Cohen raid and now the Hannity connection. I think he is avoiding his lovely wife at all costs. And I suspect that his friends at Mar-a-Lago told him that sanctions would hurt their pocketbook so he flip-flopped like my bi-polar mother would do every time you entered the room.
2
Does anyone in America have a clue about what is really going on in the middle East and our relationship with Russia? If you are even remotely interested in the truth, you might want to stop listening to the American corporate media, including NYT. Sorry to rain on your parade, but Russia is not the problem here. The real problem? the U.S. Pentagon and national security elites that are manipulating Trump and bringing us closer to World War III because of their deranged view of American power in the world. Does anyone find it curious that US bombing on Friday commenced only hours before inspectors were scheduled to gather evidence of chemical attack, an attack which we still have no basis to assume was committed by Assad? Destroy evidence much? I am no supporter of Trump, but perhaps unwittingly the smartest thing he has done as president has been to show a willingness to work with Russia, a country that is not perfect but has a shared interest in stabilizing the middle East and which, by the way, Obama also advocated easing tensions with (is he an agent of the Kremlin too?).
Something is clearly wrong as we know. We are not putting sanctions on even when his support team, and members of the senate and congress, the US ambassador, the pentagon and the FBI and CIA all agree as well as our allies. His insane “do whatever I want” manner is hurting us. The US suffers his inept and destructive mercurial mind. Russia’s military support of Syria accompanied with threats, Russia’s meddling via Facebook via fraudulent companies with bank account access via corrupt Americans promoting fear, hate racism and hit button topics to mess with the election. Money was appropriated long ago for cyber terrorism and the military stated they await a go on cyber terrorism and hacking. Russia, China, North Korea and others work 24 hours a day. We know the building in China that houses the effort. We aren’t defending or countering. Is three a prostitute tape? Worst president in history. GOP mob boss.
6
It seems the only direction this administration is clear about is that it’s all about trump’s mood at the time.
A totalitarian state attacked the most fundamental element in our democracy, the right to vote. Trump has done nothing to ensure that never happens again, and done nothing to retaliate. He pulls back from sanctioning the state after our Congress tells him (Legally) to do so, and then, after the same state is complicit in killing innocent people with a means that is immoral and illegal, does nothing. Mr Trump swore to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. He is not doing that. He should resign or be removed - and cowards and hypocrites like Paul Ryan and Orin Hatch know that is what they should do - but they don't have the guts or love of this country necessary to do that. I think the American people have a very clear idea of what to do in the midterm elections to fix this state of affairs - and will respond accordingly - lets just keep getting the information out there in an unbiased manner.
4
It's easy to say you love your country if it doesn't cost you anything. In fact, they're getting paid quite handsomely to say it.
I agree with Mr. Comey. We should end this shameful administration by our will, starting with the impending elections. Our national character is at stake.
2
Answers the question we all have - Donald Trump is being blackmailed by Russia. He's been pussyfooting around Russia with every sanction, protest and comment. He doesn't want to stir the Bear as the Bear has something on him that he doesn't want seen. If this isn't a reason for impeachment, I don't know how much more Congress needs.
Additionally, I assume that the raid on Micheal Cohen's office and hotel room will bring to light just what that may be. No wonder Trump is wearing depends!
4
How would a compromised first-time politician act if he were being blackmailed in absolutely brutal terms by a malevolent, focused, despotic state-sponsored intelligence apparatus? I would argue, precisely the way Trump has been acting since his nomination. If we look at the run-up to the Iraq War, we see a similar collection of signs and indicators that politicians at the highest level were "cooking the books." Given all we know about Trump's bombastic "hit-back-harder" mentality, is his velvet glove behavior towards Putin credible, sensible, or logical? Or, does he present a clear and unmistakable pattern of someone who is "laying off" an obvious and predictable target? Does his total Russian behavior pattern sound like someone neck-deep in "America First?" Clearly, the answer on all counts is a resounding "No!"
2
Why the shifting Syrian and Russian policies from Trump, to say nothing of all the others?
It's easy: he tunes into one Fox News program and they say we should be tough on Russia with sanctions.
Then he plays golf or eats some cheeseburgers and then tunes into a different Fox News program and they say we should go easy on Russia and not put more sanctions on them
I remember the good old days when we had presidents who actually thought about issues based on reading policy papers or books and then having in depth discussions amongst his staff and then coming up with a consistent policies.
Sad!
1
Trump is protecting Putin and Russia first and, as usual, abusing the position of President of the United States by constantly contradicting himself and his staff. He has debased every branch of our government and weakened the support and good will of our allies as if he were at war with America. Sadly, the Republican party has helped him every step of the way making them complicit in his fifth column attacks on our democracy.
4
Trump treats Mexico as an enemy, even sending troops to the border, and Russia as a friend not to be offended. That says it all.
4
Oh yes, Trump has a policy......that policy is NO policy. Keep 'em guessing. Appease one side with the words they want to hear and then appease the other side with words THEY want to hear. Knowing the decision will be his own, he'll keep both sides on the edge of their seats with hopes that he will pick "their" side. That's what he did in business......offer, then renig, and then make a better offer to his own design...while keeping both sides anxious. That may bode well in business, but you can't run a country like that.....we have laws, and God help us, they will prevail.
Let's be clear: This Trump-Putin Dance has to have international consequences. One has to wonder what the spy agencies of Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, to name a few, are up to regarding Trump's supplicating himself to Vladimir Putin. Wouldn't their countries be concerned that Trump's kowtowing to Vladimir can create problems for them, and, in order to protect their self-interests, start spying and conniving to find out what the heck is going on?
1
Amb Haley should resign in protest. How humiliating for her. Worse, how frustrating it must be to be part of this dysfunctional "team." Unlocked and unloaded.
2
I'm guessing Comrad Vlad saw the Nikki Haley Interview on TV on Sunday. Made the call to his boy in Washington and poof no more sanctions. Just more evidence that Vlad's got the goods on trump. Only hope that Mr. Mueller has those goods too.
2
Once again, this demonstrates why a president with conflicting interests should not be allowed to take, or stay in, office.
Go away donnie, you were finished before you began. You trashed the office good, and the harm you did will take a while to clean up, but we'll get it done!
God Bless Rod Rosenstein and
God Bless Robert S. Mueller, III.
5
Trump may be the most inept President in US history. His disregard for advice is astounding. I have no illusion that presidents change course. Obama did with Syria, announcing retaliation, then changing course and taking it to Congress. While this was a political move that gave him something to hide behind, he certainly made more executive orders and memos than any President before.
But this seems astounding. To let the Ambassador to the UN announce sanctions then to back track is NOT acceptable.
1
So did Vlad call Donald last night and blackmail him into backing off from the sanctions? Enquiring minds want to know.
And let's see those tax returns. That might tell us something.
2
If ever Trump wanted to dispel the notion that he is under Putin's sway, he blew it. All he has accomplished is to further undermine both his own credibility and that of the nation.
1
There's only one logical conclusion, period: Trump is compromised. Why aren't Republicans fulfilling their patriotic role and speaking out?
18
Perhaps Trump senses the UN report will come back confirming what many suspect: there were no chemical weapon attacks in Syria. So much of all of this is theatre; no one seems able to discover where the truth lies. I guess we know one thing: there's no truth value in anything Huckabee Sanders or Nikki Haley has to say because there's no constancy or honesty in the White House.
5
And maybe the tooth fairy will leave me a pile of cash. The only thing Trump has been consistent about is his unwillingness to cross Putin.
1
Just add that to your list of evidence that Trump works for Putin. Sometimes Godfathers give tasks to their underlings to have them prove their loyalty. Putin allowed Assad to use the nerve gas to test Trump's loyalty to him. A limited retaliatory strike (meaningless gesture) was all that Trump was allowed to do. Trump again passed the Putin loyalty test. A+ ! "So proud"
8
Note that it seems there were no casualties from the attacks, suggesting that Syria knew they were coming.
Good Lord. How can anyone -- seriously -- how can anyone entertain the possibility that President Trump is NOT compromised by Putin? Seriously.
16
Serious question, how many times does Trump need to reverse his course and completely contradict what he or a spokesperson previously said before we can all agree he has absolutely no clue what he’s doing? That meme of the dog with the machine gun comes to mind ...
4
If the Trump Administration wants Russia to pay a price for Assad’s chemical weapons use, backtracking on previously announced sanctions is not the way to do it. These sanctions which would’ve been placed on Russian companies that support Assad’s chemical weapons program would’ve sent a clear message to Russia that they would pay a price for supporting Assad’s slaughter of his own people. Trump pulled them back in the name of having a “better relationship with Russia”. This however ignores the fact that the United States’ and Russia’s strategic interests are wildly different both in the Middle East and around the globe.
6
Trump is not involved in the policy development within his own administration. This contradictory behavior has occurred so frequently that it is becoming evident that administrative officials other than himself are developing policies while he is absent and when he disagrees he just announces what he wants and lets them find out along with everybody else. It makes him look uninvolved with his own administration and his administration members look like they don’t have the confidence of Trump to act authoritatively on his behalf. It’s a very poor way to operate the Executive Branch, and dangerous.
3
Haley was beginning to look to credible. Time to straighten her out. He told us that all that mattered was "His opinion." Trump is Putin's Perfect Pendulum. He expels Russian diplomats and shortly thereafter, thinking he has to do something for Vlad, he announces we are pulling our troops out of Syria. He bombs Syria and tries to ameliorate the impact by burying Haley and his gov't...for Vlad. Sadly for Trump this is validation of his Greatness. Forget about ours!
3
Rudderless foreign policy. This presidency is not sustainable.
8
Amateur Hour at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Does Nikki Haley now have a target on her back? Seems to be the way of anyone with an ounce of integrity in this administration. If the GOP is looking for great leaders for its future, Haley should be on the short list.
5
Follow the money, buried in various shell companies, and we will find out why sanctions are being scrapped.
5
This is our President Yo-Yo at work. He believes in policy chaos. The result is incoherence is the face of our nation to the world. Trump is personally the same way. The takeaway is substantive unreliability about our direction day to day on every aspect of national governance. Unfortunately, our Congress is just as disorganized and unable or unwilling to provide direction because of Trump’s disorganization.
3
So, Russia-backed Syria, again, used chemical weapons in its own people. Nikki Haley says that, in response, the US will impose sanctions upon Russia. And Trumps says, "no," to sanctions, and Sanders explains that the sanctions are cancelled because Trump would "still like to have a good relationship with [Russia]," who meddled in the 2016 election in aid of Trump.
Tell me again how the Russians aren't blackmailing and controlling Trump. I'm also in the market for bridges.
5
So we delayed and telegraphed a limited air strike to give the Russians time to clear out anything of importance and then we pull back on sanctions following Russia's announcement that they would "do something big". Anyone else think these seem like the actions of a man that is beholden to the Russians?
4
Nikki, you really work for Putin who tells Trump what he can and cannot do. So, all that grandstanding against Russia at the UN did not sit will with Mr. Putin. You can bet that Putin got the message to Trump that unless he toned it down and did not implement sanctions, that something might be "leaked" about Trump's activities and financial links to Russia. Is there anyone other than Pence, Huckabee-Sanders and Paul Ryan who doesn't believe this?
Mr. Comey said it is likely that Trump is compromised by a foreign power. What just happened with this reversal of sanctions after they were publicly announced by a high administration official (Nikki Hailey) points to the effectiveness of the compromise that Putin has on Trump.
5
By the way, I would not put too much hope on the idea Putin will ever release whatever compromising information he has on Trump.
We must assume that Putin’s strategy is to maximize the damage he is doing to our democratic processes, as he enjoys watching the USA self destruct in partisan bickering, while our impotent and unqualified president continues to assist him.
We, USA citizens, are alone in this one. Our only hope at this stage is to remove all his Republican enablers through the ballot box this November before fatal damage is inflicted. Then, have Congress exercise its duties and hold the President accountable to the maximum extent of constitutional law.
3
I am not surprised. Trump has some soft corner in his heart for Putin or Trump may be scared because Putin has something on him or Trump is grateful to Putin. In any case it is dangerous for America.
8
Mattis is right in a focussed response. Sanctions are indirect and boomerang. Do something constructive in Syria. Getting rid of one autocrat just opens the door to others and makes things only worse for the people. The enemy is poverty: it caused autocracy; it caused ISIS.
2
Perhaps, there will be another resignation.
Nikki Haley would do well to resign, and preserve her hard earned credentials, for the future.
10
Nikki Haley was set up by Trump. By declaring that additional sanctions would be announced on Monday, Trump was able to garner favor with Putin by halting them. He approved Haley's statements on Sunday news shows and used her for his own purposes.
5
I agree with President Trump scraping of the sanctions against Russia. The sanctions are not needed at this time. The military attack upon Syria accomplished the mission. The Russians have nothing on Trump. The liberal opposition wishes so, but they don't. I support the President. I support Trump. Thank you.
1
Dear Boy, I am glad you have a crystal ball and know everything about the Russian investigation and trump's love of Putin, but the EVIDENCE states otherwise!
2
Ms. Sanders added that “the president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia, but at the same time he’d still like to have a good relationship with them.”
In other words, Trump wants to make certain Vlad and Friends will not call in his loans.
8
Each new day there is another plot twist in the ongoing saga of the Trump White House. Script writers couldn't do a better job of keeping us watching the show. Sadly, this hostile takeover of the news cycle is not advancing the best interests of our great country.
If it takes this many missiles to take down 3 factories then we are overspending. Just imagine how many it would take for a hardened military installation. Perhaps it is just DT's idea that if we send double the missiles this time the Russians and Syrians will really realize they were really bad and apologize.
1
He will give your thoughts consideration on his next trip to Mar-A-Lago.
If Nikki Haley has any sense of professionalism or dignity, she should resign immediately.
8
no republican has any sense of professionalism or dignity any more.
2
Nothing in Trump's past life would lead one to believe that he has ever been capable of doing something at creative and good for the people around him. His failed business ventures and ongoing lies, bankruptcies and lawsuits, have been listed ad nauseam. He Rules by chaos and seems to think that makes him presidential. We can lay this at the doorstep, ultimately, of the antiquated and flawed Electoral College. It does not function as intended. Until we pass a national law that says all electors are required to vote for candidates in proportion to the popular vote in the state, rather than winner-take-all, we are likely to see this outcome again and again.
9
Dear Georgia, Great comment about the electoral college. There are already several states who have voted in their state legislatures that they will give their electoral votes to the person who wins the popular vote. When enough states sign on and the total electoral votes reach 274 (?) the rest of the states will have to follow and give their EC votes to the person who really wins the popular vote. Trump was not really elected, he was SELECTED by this flawed system which has now been shown for the second time, recently, to have grave consequences for the US...Remember Bush, that war?
Now trump! The electoral college is deligetimizing our democracy.
2
Thanks Richard! The founding fathers had some great ideas, but the Electoral College as proving not to be one of them.
1
Occam’s razor states that the simplest explanation is usually correct. Will anyone be surprised, then, if the Cohen raid surfaces information that confirms Russia has compromising material on Trump, thereby explaining his reluctance to play hardball with his buddy, Putin?
If that turns out to be the case, it seems to me that that material must be released to the public; and the president must be removed from office.
3
Nikki Haley is not known as a loose cannon. She must have been informed by Trump officials that the sanctions were to be implemented and also that she had authorization to announce them. Pulling the rug out beneath Nikki Haley like this is offensive to her and destroys her credibility before officials at the UN. They will discount anything she says. I guess this is what's like to work with Trump.
4
The fact that Haley on Sunday stated Mnuchin would announce sanctions on Monday indicates that she believed it was the current trump policy and intention. Haley is not making-up foreign policy on the fly - as does trump.
The inability of the president to communicate a coherent foreign policy supports the fact that there IS NO policy. It's all emotionally driven and then learned via a tantrum on twitter or a ranting at the podium or during a meeting meant to focus on entirely different topics.
Why doesn't the GOP visit and give the man who is basking in his play-acting the role of president, the correct script?
This president is doing a fine job of fulfilling Putin's dearest dream: Marginalizing the USA's international leadership role and degrading the into the international laughing stock.
The exact opposite of MAGA. So much for winning!
5
Follow the money. Maybe it is time Mueller starts investigating Deutsche Bank. Why is it that Trump does not do business with a US bank ? America First, but the big (only) financier of his businesses has been a German bank for a long time. Sure, a few bankrupcies don't help here. But why isn't that a problem for Deutsche ? Could it be that some of Putin's friends have holdings at that bank, and somehow that money is used to finance the Don ?
Sometimes, the best place to hide something is in plain sight...
2
This is what collusion looks like.
5
Ms. Huckabee Sanders never fails to uphold that old GOP standard for public discourse: "Whatever you say, say nothing."
4
Nikki Haley will probably be fired next, she got a better tv coverage than her boss this week and he dislikes that. Now that Mr. Comey told everyone who wanted to listen what's in the kompromat papers that the Russians collected, Mr. Trump can only run but he can't hide.
The fact that the WH cancelled sanctions previously decided upon, proves unfortunately Trumps weakness vs. Russia to be a real one and a danger for the US forign policy.
1
The more the Steele dossier is corroborated the more Trump lightens the pressure on Russia. It's all going to come out in the end.
1
lets face it, no matter the President we never know the true story when it comes to Russia/US relations, between back channels and hot lines we only get part of the stories. The Russians have always been an obstinate people, in many ways corruption at the highest levels of government has been part and parcel of the Russian life, and many times the man in power tries to project a powerful image to his downtrodden people by talking big to the USA. In reality Russia is in economic turmoil, and it is smart of a US President to turn down the heat, and give Russia some breathing room, this reduces tensions between the two countries-which is always good for the World and all the people in it. There is something to the Russian nature that they love to play poker but though they seldom win, they like to pretend they they have won, so why call them out, the pride of a Russian is easily bruised, and once bruised they will fight. With the Russian Bear is always better to look the Bear in the Eye and let it move on, then to engage with it and find yourself in a fight to the death.
Some of the targeted Russians must have leant him or Kushner lots of money. And if Ambassador Haley wants to retain any hope of a further in public service she should resign now.
What happened? Did Putin call to remind him about that mattress in Moscow?
1
All the blather over some 'pee pee tape' is pointless. He'll deny it if ever surfaces as a fake. The real lRussian leverage is financial. It's always been about the money, which we would know much more about if tax return disclosure were legally required for candidacy.
In all seriousness, it is time for Republicans in Congress and the Senate to put an end to this train wreck of an administration. Leadership needs to put party second and country first by informing Trump that it is time to resign. We cannot continue to allow this travesty to continue. The Republican base be damned, it's time to do the right thing. Resigning in disgust and frustration is not the answer. The Republicans must stand up to Trump and all his nonsense. His continued Presidency is seriously damaging the United States standing in the world, and causing damage at home as well.
1
Show Me, Missouri!
http://fox4kc.com/2018/04/17/missouri-ag-says-there-was-evidence-of-crim...
Take a tip, Trump!
1
Award winning and respected journalist, Robert Fisk, visits Ghouta and says no gas attack happened...
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/syria-chemical-attack-gas-douma-rob...
Putin must have yanked on the leash.
7
He must have gotten a call from his Kremlin master.
4
He's a moron, he's unstable, he's compromised, he's a fool -- he is dangerous.
Ryan has bowed out, presumably to go back to Wisconsin, to pray to whatever god he thinks will forgive him. (Not the one I was raised in, Paul.) McConnell has the moral depth of a Petri dish. The remaining members of that herd of bought-and sold commodities called Congress are too busy hiding their price tags to consider the public interest.
Meanwhile, we burn. Trump has to be removed from office. The only comment that counts is the comment that says so. The only action that matters is the one that does it.
6
He has gone to Wisconsin so as (a) not to lose in November and (b) to be a viable candidate to replace Trump on the ticket in 2020.
trump, just tell us why you are so beholden to Putin.
1
It seems obvious that Mr. Putin has some sort of blackmail type leash attached to Trump via loans or holding back the exposure of damning personal information. Why else would Trump jump whenever Mr. Putiin pulls on the leash?
3
Hmmm...perhaps Putin threatened to release the "Pee" tape if Trump doesn't learn to do as he's told?
4
Shocking to read all the anti-Trump venom here. A multitude of sanctions have already been put on Russia by his administration. It's obvious Trump wants detente with Russia. Detente would benefit our country. There's a give and take in diplomacy. We can't push Russia to an extreme action that would result in military confrontation and, so far, Russia has stood down.
But readers don't understand that or refuse to understand that. Apparently, they are pushing Trump to take actions that might lead to war. Of course, when he doesn't, they make the absurd accusation that he's under Putin's thumb. Given what Trump has done, I seriously doubt that.
11
Russia has not stood down. Their interference through the internet just skyrocketed again. They invaded Ukraine without effective consequences, they are supporting Syria against the US and other allies, and they are rejoicing that Trump is bungling international policies. The amount of interactions Trump has had with Russia during his years as a businessman and the debt he owes them makes it suspect that he continues to pander to Russia. Doesn't it bother you at all that his son in law tried to have a "back channel" to Russia during the primaries?
12
What has he done except to cower in the face of Putin? Remember that Trump called to congratulate Putin after being relected in a sham election. I see no outrage from Trump over the attempted assassination of former spies in England, or the land grabs, or the deaths of journalists who report on the corruption in Russia. Putin has something on Trump.
14
Contradicting your own UN ambassador reveals that he has no coherant strategy and that he remains a poor leader.
15
A Russian investigative journalist who confirmed the deaths of Russian mercenaries in Syria has died after 'falling' from his fifth-floor balcony.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/16/russian-investigative-jour...
2
Trump's "policy path" precisely reflects his mental, emotional and social "maturity:"
"Don't tell ME what to do!"
Kelly needs to sneak a child psychologist (or six) into the White House.
He received a message from Russia saying there are pictures, videos and DNA samples...
2
Putin called in his kompromat marker.
“Russian Stooge” just about sums it all up, doesn’t it?
2
More cowardly, obsequious grovelling in dealing with Putin.
Surely it must be obvious to everyone by now that Putin is holding something over Trump’s head that is fatally threatening to his presidency.
Sex tapes? Money Laundering? Collusion in undermining the election?
It hardly matters any more - Trump’s behaviour speaks for itself - he is guilty of something that he will go to any length to hide.
1
Undermining people he has hand-picked. Again!
I can’t seem to get Hillary’s voice out of my head during one of the debates saying Putin would rather have a puppet for President in response to Trump saying Putin had no respect for her. In his typical school yard speech, he responded “No puppet, no puppet, your the puppet”.
Trump the puppet is on full display for the entire world to see.
2
Males one wonder if these people ever discuss anything, much less policy.
I guess maybe that's why there's an Emoluments Clause, right? If there was anything not a duck that quacks like this, I don't know it....Fake Ducks!
2
Russia have something on Trump, PERIOD!
What we need is to scrap this new president.
1
No need to wax eloquently on this topic, putting self before country, as one word suffices: traitor.
1
Russia is dictating our foreign policy so he must have the goods on David Dennison.
2
Trump must still plan to build Trump Towers in Moscow and Leningrad...
Hey, I’m allowed to change my mind. I’m the president!
D. Dennisson
Putin must have called last night.
1
"When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history,"
John Brennan speaks for us all. Especially with this.
That's enough, Donald. We let you bomb but no need to inspect the sites. Now pull back your sanctions and everything will be fine for the time being. Kapish?
What world leaders and diplomats could possibly take Nikki Haley seriously ? She is a diplomatic joke and puppet on the string of Putin’s puppet. Trump ‘s reversal makes Haley, the military and the US look like fools .
President Trump is being controlled by Russia, and the Republicans will not do anything about it. I call that treason.
Boy, if I got the same return on my stock portfolio that Putin's getting for his throwing the November election to Trump, I'd have enough money to make voting Republican a financially rational decision. Our traitor in chief sure does love them Russians! They must really have something incredible juicy hanging of that swine's head. Probably something involving teenager girls and Swiss bank accounts.
1
Trump has been laundering money for Russian oligarchs for years and Cohen has the proof.
1
What is wrong with everyone? This is common knowledge .... Trump is mafia. Putin is mafia. They are obvious friends. They have mafia dealings. End of story ! And I knew this without hearing it from Comey. I grew up in NYC. It’s common knowledge!
Trump builds casinos (that he benefits from when they go bankrupt). Mafia. In NYC, the Russia mafia is HUGE.
Please people ! Get some common sense. Growing up in NYC, I know this is common knowledge. All of these lawyers and analysts scratching their heads ... wondering about Trump and Putin. It’s simple - Trump and Putin are mafia. And have countless mania dealings, no doubt.
This is despicable that our “checks and balances” are not working - along with our broken electoral college and election system. Get rid of the broken archaic electoral college. Instead use ONE national popular vote. Make sure, of course, that our voting booths are 100% accurate. And we will NEVER AGAIN have a mafioso win the presidency.
When will common sense win over ridiculous over-analysis ??!!
What an embarrassment. Thanks trump supporters, you must be so proud. Our children will not be kind to your willful disregard for their future.
My magic eight ball is made of the highest grade of chineseium.
It tells the truth without fail. Like all things Chinese. When it does I go to the "Dollar Store" and get a new one.
Today it foretold, ''Trump's lawyer's lawyer, will need a lawyer.''
All those kids with law school degrees and insurmountable debt now have a ray of hope.
The down side is that there will be a shortage of waiters and bar staff.
Look at this from the Russian mob's perspective. Cohen is cooked. Hannity is outed as a compromised messenger for Trump and Putin. Back in the OG dayz, this is when witnesses start diving out of windows.
Trump , the human yo-yo . Don’t like what he says? , wait 5 minutes.
1
Putin rang, after Haley spoke on the Sunday talk shows.
Mueller and Haley should fear for their jobs. Comey should fear for his life. Yup, acting like a mafia don.
This is treason!
Nicky Haley should resign, who is going to take her words seriously at the United Nations when her own boss contradicts her in front of the whole world. The US is becoming a laughing stock at the United Nations because of our president. Putin will be laughing. He has the control over our president, not Nicky Haley.
6
With all the talk currently about a video in Russia he better not put sanctions on them. You can't cry about innocent children and then not try to stop the chemicals and the providers of them. This man must think we are all fools but sooner or later this whole smoke and mirrors with Russia will come to the forefront.
93
Donald clearly does not want to put the squeeze on Putin's closest allies. The only explanation is that Putin does have some very damaging information about Donald that would cost him dearly: he would have to pay Melania if she hears more about his cavorting with prostitutes in Moscow and files for a divorce (Donald is too cheap to want that); his business is already heavily indebted to some of those billionaires and his tax returns would show it; or the future of his real estate business is jeopardized if he cannot count on future Russian loans. Speculation, yes: most of what is on CNN and MSNBC is not news, but speculation. As Madeleine Albright's book "Fascism" demonstrates, Donald is yet another in a series of divisive leaders (from Mussolini to Erdogan) who serves his own narrow interests, not those of the nation he supposedly leads.
60
I suppose he got the OK from Putin to bomb Syria, for appearances sake. But not to cause any economic hardship on Russia. That Trump was not authorized to do.
Ambassador Haley has shown herself to be a dedicated, principled, astute diplomat. She appears to be a significant asset to the administration and the nation. President Trump appears to be... ummm.... maybe someone compromised by, and hence afraid of the Russian President? In short, he's not giving the appearance of being a traitor who values his own, already soiled beyond belief, reputation more than he values the principles of this nation or the lives of innocent peoples everywhere.
22
The Russia "policy"' is about the pp tape kompromat, maybe? That seems to be the explanation suggested by Michelle Goldberg in these pages. The explanation for this puzzling deference to Russia might be staring us in the face
20
I'm not sure whether Trump is compromised by Russia. What difference does it even make? He has absolutely no clue what he's doing. There is no strategy.
We're getting to see in real time what happens when the most powerful society in human history is led by someone who is 100% unqualified and unsuited to the role. It ain't pretty.
87
Will the U.S. ever regain credibility on the international stage after 4 years of Mr. Trump?
35
He's not going to last 4 years - maybe not even 4 more months....
Not in our lifetime.
Putin will continue to use Trump until Trump is no longer useful to Putin. It appears we are not there yet.
41
Whatever Putin has on Trump, it has to stop dictating US foreign policy. Let Congress step up.
47
Sam: we no longer have a congress.
Trump owns a phone; rather than tweeting, perhaps he should give Nikki Haley a call from time to time. Regardless, this is all just another indication that the Russians are holding something over our President's head.
39
Trump scrapping Russian sanctions is like Hannity arguing that the FBI is engaged in a witch hunt when they seized documents from Cohen's office. There's something else going on in the background, we just haven't seen it yet.
57
We know this about Donald Trump:
Much of his wealth is from Russia. He has refused to publish his tax returns. Before the election, his son Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian attorney who advised Russia would be providing illegally obtained information on Sec. Clinton. This effort was so ham handed that Trump himself wrote a letter containing false information, attempting a cover-up.
Some of Trump’s closest advisors not only met clandestinely with Russian officials prior to and shortly after the election, but also lied to Congress about it (including Attorney General Sessions). Trump’s only change to the Republican Party’s platform was a pro-Russia change regarding the Ukraine. Soon after the election, Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, tried to create a back-channel with Russia for reasons he’s never explained. As President, Trump fired FBI Director Comey because he wouldn't stop the investigation into "this Russia thing". Trump then met with the Russian ambassador, with no U.S. press, and told the Ambassador he no longer need worry about the “Russia thing”.
Trump has refused to implement sanctions passed unanimously in Congress. He has now refused to implement sanctions announced just the day before by Amb. Haley.
We now know that Trump has put Russia’s interests above those of our own country, despite his sworn oath to the contrary, and yet his voters still support him, nearly unanimously. My question is, then, why are not all Trump supporters equally complicit?
67
And he hasn't done a darn thing about the very scary hold Russia has over our power grids. That is not being discussed by anyone as far as we can see.
I guess Comey is right - there is kompromat on the Trump-o-mat. No President would embarrass himself, people working for him and his country this badly - except if backed into a corner and reacting in desperate self-preservation mode.
37
Simple explanation is that Trump misunderstood his orders from his handler, and was forced to recant in a hurry. Based on documented incompetence of many Trump appointees, his Russian translator may have been at fault.
20
It just seems he can not be coherent from one minute to the next.
19
Make no mistake about this played out this way by design.
It's meant to remind Putin that although the administration has to sometimes play both sides, Trump still has his Putin's back.
It's a, I wash your back, you wash mine scenario, or, more appropriately, please don't rat me out, Vlad .
17
Russia is geographically large, with 150 million mostly poor inhabitants and an economy about the size of Italy's. Why is Russia on the front page of our newspapers every morning? Russia isn't that big a deal. (And please, don't say it's because they have nukes. Other countries have nukes.)
4
Oh, it's because Russia is dictating our foreign policy. It's kind of a big deal, Jim.
You must be kidding. From what I read this morning, they might even turn the lights out in your house sometime soon. They certainly have helped turn the lights out in Eastern Europe, Syria, and in the White House. Please stay tuned!
Russia is a gánster and mafia state with nukes with a well trained cyber warfare team, and a mad man at the helm bent on destroying western democracies by holding our impotent president hostage. That is why.
This guy is a walking talking personification of a contradiction. Of course it doesn’t surprise me that he doesn’t wish ill will to his comrade in arms but to in the span of one day literally, not even walk back, offer an opposite stance is a sure fire sign of instability. What must be going on in his head can best be described as a Shakespearean tragedy...run amok.
7
Why did we fire off 105 missiles to destroy 3 empty buildings in Syria?
Why didn’t we hit targets that would degrade Assad’s military strength instead?
The whole thing sounds phony, a stunt made for TV.
30
That's because it was a stunt for TV. Expect the next episode when Trump needs to change the conversation again. So, probably later this week.
1
Thanks for asking aunt Nancy. I was wondering the same thing. How big were these buildings, or how small are these missiles? Are they packed with m-80's or something. How can it take 105 missiles to destroy 3 buildings. Do most of them miss the target?
1
Anyone who doesn't admit that the Russians bought Trump years ago with huge loans of laundered money he desperately needed is unfit to govern this nation. This describes the Republican Congress to a T. Anyone who supports Trump despite all the significant existing proof that the Russians meddled in the 2016 election for the benefit of Donald Trump are either willfully uninformed or traitors or both.
31
It's pretty obvious by now that Russia has something on Trump and he doesn't want it revealed.
25
As if we needed any more proof that Trump is owned by Russia.
23
Clearly, Ms. Haley, unlike trump, doesn't ask putin for 'pre-clearance,' and assurance that the Russian trove of 'dirt' on the U.S. money-launderer and moral-degenerate-in-chief will not be revealed as the result of any 'activation' of this or that particular sanction or set of sanctions proposed and importuned by NSA 'advisors' and others whose allegiance is to these United States of America -- and who do not share trump's ignorance or conflicts-of-interest.
10
Sanders said Trump wants to be tough on Russia, but still have a good relationship with them. There's many fine people in the Kremlin.
This looks like more "quid-pro-quo" from the man elected with the help of a Russian information warfare campaign. As the Constitution put it, more "aid and comfort" for an enemy. Evidence of "adhering" to them.
The drip drip drip of treason. In full view. treasonmatters.com
15
How long are we going to let this charade go on?
33
We are in Season 2 of "Reality Swamp Survivor"
Episode 2, now playing: ""Vlad gets His Money's Worth."
22
Could it simply be that trump is blustering to satisfy his base and DOING NOTHING to satisfy his moneyed peers? Wouldn't that be consistent? At least for trump? Consistency of whatever might at least point to reality, as awful as it currently is.
1
Trump's refusal to impose sanctions on the Russian government (which interfered with our elections and continues to threaten our democracy), is further evidence of his being compromised and vulnerable to blackmail by Vladimir Putin.
8
Would love to see Nikki Haley run a primary challenge against Trump in 2020.
4
I can see this story from both sides. One hand there's Putian who has been a great ally of the United States. People don't know how much the Russian Government has helped with the war on terror as well as any and all terrorist activities in the Middle East.
Look at the Edward Snowden deal, what he has done was let the American people know that our Government which has a duty to protect us and makes sure that all the liberties that our Constitution guarantee us. Unfortionaly this is not the case. I'm not saying that he was right or wrong I'm saying that he did what he thought was the right thing to do which is his Constitutional right.
People out there that dish out on Donald J. Trump who we as an American society had voted him into the White House to be the President. He has the guts to speak his mind to do what he says he will do (most of the time) stand up for the American Veterans (which proudly I am) boosting our spending on National Defences amending the tax code; appealing the ridiculous Obama Health Act which I believe is going into effect early 2020. As an Economist, I understand the difficulties of funding this kind of program.
I congratulate President Trump for his quick thinking and actions of letting the Syrian Government know that the United States will not stand idly by and watch innocent people get slaughter for some madman thrist of power and wealth.
Thank you for your service. How do you like your veteran's health care free for life?
For centuries Russia has wanted "warm water ports" on the Mediterranean sea and Persian gulf. Now, by blackmailing Trump, Putin has achieved these goals.
7
This makes one wonder, exactly what does Putin have on Trump to have Trump so afraid. Maybe this is further proof of the truth to the Dossier.
9
Hmm, DJT won't allow sanctions and won't authorize /allow efforts to enhance our cyber security in advance of 2018 mid-terms and 202 election.
I guess he liked their help to him in 2016 and wants to make sure Mother Russia will be there again for him
6
Ultimately, isn't this all becoming quite confusing?! Certainly the most poorly led Presidency, in the history of our Republic!
6
I offer no condolences to the few remaining mainstream rational Republicans. Haley seemed vice-presidential, until Trump pulled out the rug. He is destroying your party and all associated with it as well as the institutions in the executive branch and you are enabling him.
This is no way to make foreign policy and you know it. What a mess.
7
Yesterday, when I heard that the administration was supporting sanctions, I thought, well, maybe the president isn't controlled by Russia.
7
Is it not completely clear from his behaviors that POTUS had or has visions of joining the Putin Oligarchy? He is transfixed by wealth and in Putin he sees a way to legitimize gigantic thefts and overreaches that little people can do nothing about. Megalomania is apt here. It can be assured that he will get on the blower with Putin and claim credit for minimizing the fallout--over aide and comfort to Assad who is gassing his people.
4
Just who is driving this bus? I feel that we are approaching the cliff. We need an intervention!!
5
For a New York minute there, while Ambassador Haley was talking, Trump looked kind of presidential. Then he opened his mouth and three illusion ended.
5
Really, Is Ronald Reagan considered republican for today's GOP.
So much for USA.
4
Whatever salacious information Putin has on Trump and the impression he's giving of possessing this information, represents the most valuable and effective intelligence operation in the history of the world.
2
Regarding Trump's u-turn on Russian sanctions: The notorious Christopher Steel dossier gets more believable every day.
Regarding Nikki Haley's position:
When someone signs on to become a member of the Trump team:
A. Be prepared to be thrown under the bus at some point (See Haley, Tillerson, etc.)
B. Make sure you have a good lawyer (See Dowd, Cohen, etc.)
C. Be prepared to take a hit on your reputation (See Spicer, Hicks, etc.,)
D. Be prepared to spend some time in jail (See Manafort, Flynn, etc.)
9
It's getting very crowded under the "Trump Bus", but he made room for Nikki.
10
No lessons learnt from Iraq, another dangerous development, it accomplished it's purpose of distracting from Russian investigation.
4
You can call them "advisers," but to this president they are only "the help."
9
Yet another neck-snapping turn of events from our so-called president. What is it about this man that makes him so keen to serving Russia while he criticizes seeks to dismantle our security agencies and Constitution?
“By and large, other governments don’t know whether to laugh or cry at all this,” Mr. Sestanovich said. “But in Russia, laughter is getting the upper hand.” In the U.S, crying is getting the upper hand with this fool as our president.
4
It just makes me wonder, practically speaking, who is relaying to Trump his Russian orders, and how are they doing it?
6
"Ms. Sanders added that 'the president has been clear that he’s going to be tough on Russia, but at the same time he’d still like to have a good relationship with them.'”
But this is exactly the way Trump treats the people around him.
7
The US has dirty hands, but so far, our leaders don't poison or otherwise murder journalists and critics of the regime as a regular part of political business. We have an active and loud loyal opposition with many voices that decry the worst of our sins, and call attention to all of the problems we ought to attend to.
We should always keep allies and enemies on speaking terms, and seek means to decrease world tensions - without encouraging the worst tyrants.
But Trump's courting of Putin belies his recent tough act (which at its acme included the the Syrian missile attacks which left all Russians and Russian weapons untouched). Cozying up to a man who is personally capable of ordering the murders of opponents is depraved.
Trump has a small and shriveled heart: he prefers the company of others who are similarly cold to others' suffering, and similarly focused on power and profits.
He is shrewd but not knowledgeable, sly but obvious and wildly envious of others despite his privilege.
When I see the public face he turns to Putin, I worry that behind the scenes, he may sabotage efforts to prevent Russian ( and other) intrusions into our "home" space in the online world. Perhaps for favors - which he may not know he can never collect.
13
Very well worded! "He is shrewd but not knowledgeable, sly but obvious and wildly envious of others despite his privilege."
I don't mind Nikki Haley dangling in the wind. Just about all of these appointments have been out for themselves, enabling a malevolent, corrupted, compromised cretin in OUR White House. Unless they ever took a stand to defend us, they deserve all the humiliation they get and then some more.
14
Haley was taking a stand to defend us. Sheesh.
I wish Putin would just do us all a favor and bring down Trump already since our incompetent Congress won't do it.
39
He's about out of any usefulness but divisiveness. Putin's got to start imagining a Pence fence for this nonsense.
He's laughing too hard and besides - why do the dirty work himself when our despot is working so hard for him?
Not that I think highly of these women who front for DT but he sure does his best to make them look like fools as often as possible. And that goes beyond the professional sphere.
11
Whatever Putin has on him, it must be bad.
27
"No puppet. No puppet. You're the puppet. No, you're the puppet."
Raise your hand if you voted for him after that.
14
Trump got a phone call from Putin.
We witnessed the same song and dance with the NRA. Weird that there are rumors that Russian money was funneled thru the NRA.
13
Comrade Trump just can not bring himself to cause any real damage, perceived or otherwise, to his BFF, comrade Putin. Anybody wondering if the Russian connection is real needs to turn off Fox Noise and follow the money. His hubris knows no end. We need to get him and his un-merry band of unethical swampers out of our White House and into the big house with no pardons for treasonous actions.
15
Trump sided with Putin over our intelligence agencies on Russian meddling despite each of our intelligence agencies confirming Russia actively worked to interfere in our election.
He's guilty of something:
We know Trump's priority is to keep Putin on his side, and yes---it appears Russia MUST have compromising information on the President of the United States.
Since Comey suspects it, and as the Steele Dossier came to fruition, doubtless Russia CAN embarrass Trump from his 2013 hotel stay in Russia. Trump was highly worried about it with Comey early on, before firing him. Which is why Comey remarks on it now-- even mentioning the hotel, the women, and what Trump nervously said about his wife finding out.
It's telling that Trump actually said "Every time Putin sees me he says I didn't (meddle in the election) and I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it. But he says I didn't do that. I think he is very insulted by it, which is not a good thing for our country."
***That remark by itself is very weird.***
11
Trump is more upset about Nikki Haley’s announcement that additional economic sanctions be officially rolled out against Russia for supporting the Assad regime than the plan itself. He wants to be seen as the one who calls the shots and loves to humiliate people, like contracting Rex Tillerson on Twitter, or now putting the brakes on Haley.
No doubt it’s important to have a reasonable working relationship with Russia, and Trump’s decision not to execute these sanctions would have been seen as wise, has it come from another president. But given Trump’s excessive adulation for Putin and what the public learns from the ongoing investigations, his backing away vindicates the assumption that Russia really has a hold on him, and that he places his personal interests ahead of his country’s.
17
Please read: like CONTRADICTING Rex Tillerson....
Yes America, we have a Russian puppet for a president.
Please remember to thank conservatives and Republicans for this being so.
51
So many of us have a long list of "thank you" notes to send, all to be postmarked November 6, 2018.
1
The Russians apparently have something over Trump.
24
Of course. And it is much worse than sexual deviancy.
My guess is that the Russian government is holding the mortgage on about half of Trump's real estate empire.
1
Will Mueller find evidence pointing to Trump being Putin's puppet?' Hope so because Trump is the first President controlled by a foreign dictator and it's leading to the destruction of the nation.
17
Nikki Haley left dangling in the wind by this president. Add her name to a long list.
Policy by Twitter. Governing by chaos. Trump's lawyer needing a lawyer. A boor who has lowered the bar of the presidency to its lowest level.
22
Mr. Trump is Mr. Putin's puppet. There is simply no other reasonable explanation.
22
Self-worship always eliminates the possibility that you can consider you are ever wrong. This self-worshiper has never admitted a mistake, an incorrect thought or considered being reasonable when being "challenged" by anything not kneeling or in awe of it. Of course the whole world is laughing and pointing at the geek with no sense - for them it is very very very funny.
6
Whatever Putin has on Trump it must be potent.
18
Rest of The World: “We’ll stop our chemical weapons programs just as soon as you stop your Drone Program.”
2
Looks like Donald got his latest orders from Putin...
12
Poor Nikki.
6
As Trump would say, she "knew what [she] signed up for."
Trump drained the swamp on us........................
8
Donald knows hes done hes just lining his pockets with as many rubles as he can hide before he comes up with some excuse to step down and pardon himself & his family
8
I suspect trump's thinking behind a big bait-and-switch like this includes "it doesn't really matter to the country in the long run which way we go on this - the world is a complicated place - and by playing it like this I package the deal inside the overriding message that I'm in charge and not beholden to my advisers." We know well that packaging, not substance, is trump's main concern; for instance, his game plan after the Russian interference became known was entirely focused on how to preserve good optics with PR. So here he gets to do a bit of brand definition while avoiding friction with his Russian benefactors. To him it's a win-win. For the country it's... well, he has no clue and really doesn't care.
22
It turned out Red States means Russia.
115
Great! Simple is best.
3
Brilliant!
1
The gold rain's gonna to fall
Haley wouldn't have announced new sanctions against Russia on her own...
ONce again Trump reverses course, reneges, wimps out and pulls the carpet out from under his administration.
74
Exactly. This is not how policy is made in a normal American government. He signed off and then flip flopped.
At least Donald listens to his master.
32
Trump is afraid to upset his boss in Moscow.
44
Trump is a blustering but insecure person who invites predatory personalities to take advantage of his silliness. Syria is not the crucial player here, it’s Russia and it’s Russia that needs to feel the pain to stop supporting the use of chemical weapons. Putin is a jerk and more clever and ruthless than intelligent but he must stand down if the U.S. forces the issue.
178
Clever and ruthless kills intelligent every time. Of the 500,000 dead Syrians only a tiny few died from chemical weapons aka mass destruction. Most died from weapons of minor destruction aka conventional.
"if" is not going to happen - Trump is forcing the russians down our throats and it's killing us
1
Urban Dictionary: *** pwned ***
Slang for "Putin Owned"
20
Trump wants to withdraw from Syria. He wants to cut 200 million going to anti-Assad forces. He wants to get along with Russia and does not want to ibe involved in a cold war with them. Sitting in a meeting with Comey and others say s the USA is alot like Russia. We have blood on our hands too he said. The last time he said no new sanctions against Russia, Congress overriode him. He wants face to face contact with N. Korea's leader. Who is his advising him on foreign policy? Noam Chomsky?
The Democratic Party should start realizing some Americans are tired of war. Some of us don't want another cold war with Russiaa, American troops in Syria and war with N. Korea and Iran. They do do not have a voice the Democrats and if and when he gets impeached they won't blame Trump the fool.
This one voice against Trump has its complications. Don't you think?
4
He treats Russia better than he treats most Americans.
100
MAGA indeed. More like “make America a laughingstock because the Pres is owned by Russian oligarchs”. But wait, I’m not forgetting the Saudis and the Chinese. Can’t afford to offend any of them either.
20
Trump almost had me convinced when Halley said in the UN that we would put sanctions on Russia for supporting Assad’s Chemical War Fare, & then true to form he denied there would be sanctions on Russia.There is no question in my mind that Russia has a hold on Trump that controls Trump's
reaction to Russian aggression.If this isn’t collusion then what would anyone call it?Trump is a traitor & should be treated as a traitor.
32
Many will recall that during the final presidential debate on October 19, 2016, Clinton argued that Trump would be Putin's puppet if he were to be elected president. In the calm and mature manner that he is famous for , Trump responded by stating: "No puppet. No puppet. You're the puppet. No, you're the puppet." His conduct as president proves otherwise. What a disgrace.
70
It is all but impossible to escape the conclusion that Russia does indeed have something very serious on Donald Trump, and it goes beyond cavorting with prostitutes in Moscow. My guess is moneylaundering for Russian oligarchs, possibly including Putin himself. Why else would Trump be so reluctant to levy sanctions against Russian business?
85
I agree I do not think that Trump is going buckle for Russian prostitute video etc.
We have already mulligans for Pornstars affair from the religious right.
This must be strictly money related issue.
2
Do you suppose Cohen was “fixing” yesterday with the Hannity revelation? Using it to distract from this announcement?
10
Trump will not do anything to offend Russia. Wake up people; we are in terribly dangerous waters here. Ray Sipe
17
Another thought here is that the Russians threatened their puppet in DC with blackmail if he whacked Russian business with sanctions. Just a thought.
20
Stop, stop, stop trying to look so deeply into the motivations and strategy behind this president’s knee-jerk decisions. There is none, no considered thought whatsoever. No policy at all. All advice is rejected. He is as shallow as a birdbath. And just as filthy. He let Haley out to dry/backstabbed her only to make himself look like “the decider” and because she’s a woman. Simple man, simple, predictable, vulgar methods. And these people are loyal to him why?
30
This was predictable. During the course of a day, Putin has tugged the strings of a puppet, his puppet, Donald Trump. We Americans are naive if we deny the fact that Trump is beholden to this thug from Russia. The dots are connecting, and the image gradually being drawn should make us quiver in fear. Where is our Congress right now? They are not unlike a bowl of jello. "America first" was the chant. Such a ruse, people. It always has been and always will be, "Trump first."
21
Paul Ryan got tired of the one clown circus, and so are we.
9
I think we can see where his loyalties lie.
16
"Puttin on the Ritz" was a lyric written in 1927 by Irving Berlin. Today, we have Trump "Putin on the Ritz" in his collusion with Russia. In doing so he unveils what a traitor Trump really is as Putin's puppet doin' the Ritz while shaming us all and devaluing our Nation across the globe. He has transformed us and our Nation into the fraud he is. We are no longer the mightiest Nation in the history of the world with the capacity to defend all Nations from dictators and marauders. Trump may prove to be the most destructive president in our history and the gravest threat to humanity ever.
14
More chaos from the stable genius...
11
Was Trump successful in creating a back channel to Putin?
7
The back channel is Cohen.
1
Was!
The president has no plan aside from doing as much damage to this country in the short time he has as president. He changes his mind with every new bit of information that he happens across. His idea of a strategy is to tweet the first thing that pops into his head. There is something so not right about this man and his cowardly republican enablers.
14
Last year South Carolina produced 822 million eggs. Most of them just wound up on Amb. Haley's face, courtesy of her boss. If this is how Trump inspires loyalty, it's astonishing that anyone would work for him. You really have to wonder what Putin could have on him.
Or maybe, just maybe, he really is the Manchurian candidate.
13
These days, TV remotes come with preset buttons for Netflix, YouTube etc. The remote that a certain Vlad in Moscow has happens to have a button with a “T” in fake gold paint on it. What batteries make that remote work, we don’t know yet.
4
Whoa, put your neck braces on. Trump's head is pivoting like the possessed little 12-year old Regan in "The Exorcist."
Mr. Trump represents the political party that made Communist Russia its avowed enemy for decades. Republicans have long hated Russia. What changed?
Why does Trump bend over backwards to not offend, appease, and perhaps even please Russia, when clearly Russia has been out of bounds with its poisoning of Ukrainians and Russians in London and secretly interjecting itself into US and European elections?
Multiple choice:
a. Putin has something, or some things, on Trump and is blackmailing Trump into submission.
b. Trump knows he going to need a lot of Russian help to get through the 2020 election if he wants to be president again.
c. Putin has been very nice to Trump, given praise and adulation to the lonely, misunderstood Trump, and cultivated Trump's friendship for years. When wealthy New Yorkers looked down on Trump, called him a hack, and snubbed him, there was Russia's Putin extending a friendly hand and providing a welcome mat and venue for Trump's tacky beauty contests.
d. There is no real reason Trump reverses his decisions, except that he is crazy, drunk with power, and enjoys confusing everyone. Why? Because he is President of the United States, and therefore, he can!
e. All of the above
f. None of the above (for Fox News fans)
7
Oh for pete's sake. Trump is off to Mar-a-Lago again? It's only Tuesday! I guess he can hole up with like-minded supporters while he leaves the rest of us in the lurch with his erratic behavior. I guess he has to show who's boss, but in reality, he comes off as the world's greatest incompetent wimp. Puppet of Putin? Don't know, but what is clear is his inability to formulate any real foreign policy. I guess he will get inspired by Fox News over the next few days in between rounds on the links and raising a tweet storm over Comey. The circus continues.
8
It's obvious, Trump is already being blackmailed by Putin. Nikki should quit!
9
Is Ambassador Haley next in the chopping block? A staunch Trump supporter she is clearly outside his circle. “Another one bites the dust”. Assad would be gone if not for Russia - Trump - Russian enabler.
4
That pretty much takes the teeth out of anything we do concerning Syria, Russia, and chemical weapons.
Trump is basically a bullying coward. Talks tough, but backs down out of fear and makes the rest of his team look like stooges in the process.
The world can no longer rely on our leadership, nor our word — all due to one man who clearly has no clue as to what he is doing.
10
Trump assured Putin he was just messing around.
7
Shows you what kind of a knee-jerker he is. Duh - if you really wanted the evidence in the latest chemical attack preserved, you would have warned the Russians that any attempt to impede their inspection would result in more sanctions coming at more sources. This man can't think past his next trip to twitter or Fox News.
4
Putin's puppet takes a knee once again!
8
The Russian puppet would go only so far against his master.
6
Lordy, the tape is real!
6
He must've gotten the order to back off from Putin.
3
Well, there goes the effectiveness of the air strike as part of an overall plan to discourage and eliminate use of chemical weapons in Syria. What a waste.
5
When you are married to the mob, you do what you must to survive. Trump is between a rock and a hard place.
7
Wow, if this does not show he is in bed (pun realized) with the Russians, i don't know what does. If Hayley has any shred of honor she will step down...how can she have any credibility in her job with this kind of nonsense at every turn.
4
Congressional republicans, have you no shame? Do your duty to your country!
6
Hmmm. You're a puppet, you're the puppet. Guess that little gem was projection. Which serves as how he telegraphs what he's done or going to do. Accuses someone else of it.
3