This is pathetic. Trump should have confronted Putin on this at the press conference. Trump Declines to Back U.S. Intel Conclusion That Russia Meddled in Election By MAIREAD MCARDLE July 16, 2018 President Trump declined to endorse the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election in an extraordinary press conference with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Monday. When asked about the intelligence community’s assessment, Trump changed the subject to the Democratic National Committee’s servers and Hillary Clinton’s emails. “Why was the FBI told to leave the office of the Democratic National Committee? I’ve been wondering that,” the president said. “What happened to Hillary Clinton’s emails? 33,000 emails gone, just gone.” “President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia. I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be,” Trump said, moments after Putin reiterated Russia’s repeated claim that it had not meddled in the election. The Justice Department on Friday indicted twelve Russian military officers for crimes related to the election, including hacking into the DNC server and stealing the login information of Clinton associates such as campaign chairman John Podesta. At the press conference Monday, Putin said that he would consider extraditing the twelve officers, but added that he did not know the details of the situation. Trump also slammed Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, insisting again that there was “zero collusion” and that the probe into his campaign’s dealings with Russia has had a “negative impact” on the relationship between the two countries. Congressmen on both sides of the aisle reacted with dismay to the press conference, calling it a “missed opportunity” to hold Russia accountable for election interference. Senator Jeff Flake called the president’s comments “shameful.” “I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression. This is shameful,” the Arizona Republican wrote on Twitter. Democrats were harsher. Senator Elizabeth Warren said that Trump took the stage to “embarrass America, undermine our institutions, weaken our alliances, & embrace a dictator.” Senator Mark Warner said Trump’s abandonment of the intelligence community’s conclusions was a “complete disgrace.” https://www.nationalreview.com/news/trump-putin-press-conference-doesnt-criticize-putin/
I would have to agree with Lindsey Graham’s assessment of the meeting. My guess is that Trump is looking to minimize military antagonism with Russia and to maximize economic antagonism against the EU (esp. Germany) and China. If Trump could have gotten a reciprocal zero tariff zero subsidy trade agreement with the EU then IMO the tone of the meeting might have been more tense and possibly adversarial. As long as James Mattis remains as Defense Secretary I’m not worried about Russian or Chinese unchecked military adventurism.
Eventually I suppose it will sink in. It is taking much longer than it should. Mr. Trump's money is from Russia and Russians. Some of us have known that since at least early 2016, and some knew it since the late 1990s. Russians know every illegal money laundering event that Mr. Trump participated in through his LLCs, and they know how much money he pocketed from each. They are a little suspicious that Mr. Trump might not have reported all his illegal gains on his tax returns. And Mr. Putin either knows about every sordid thing Mr. Trump has done while in Russia, or knows the people who know. And Mr. Putin knows the truth behind every one of Trumps lies involving Russia. So why is anyone surprised that Mr. Trump says nice things about Mr. Putin?
How could Trump say something this stupid when there is a mountain of irrefutable evidence proving the Russians were responsible for undermining our democracy and mounting a shocking attack on our country? Why don't we just have a look at tall that evidence? Oh wait, there isn't any. It's all based on the conclusions of Obama appointees in the intelligence community. Still, when have we ever gone wrong basing monumental decisions on the conclusions of the intelligence community?
Indeed, no mystery here, Trump is compromised by Russia, it looks, walks like a Donald duck. I guess 10 years from now this will all be clear though no doubt his supporters even if presented with the most absolute, black and white proof will still hold on. AAA is a sick man, a primitive royalist with no place in a democracy.