Public Comment

At the recent G20 meeting, President Trump greeted his friend, Vladimir Putin, warmly with the full knowledge that he got him elected.

The president brushed off accusations of election interference with a wink and smile, a coded gesture inviting more interference targeting his Democratic opponent in the 2020 election. The wily Putin chuckled with a silent nod hinting Russian trolls were ready to further eviscerate American democracy and propel the President to the White House for four more years. The public outrage over Trump’s chumminess with Russia harked back serious concerns over his financial entanglement and possible sexual encounters with Russian prostitutes. Putin seemed delighted with his meeting with Trump, a willing partner to undermine America’s democracy. 

Forgotten were the urgent warnings from special counsel Mueller that Russia conducted a “sweeping and systematic” operation to sway the 2016 election in Trump’s favor prompting former President Carter to call him an illegitimate president.  

The meeting with Putin followed Trump’s gratuitous insults towards Japan broadly hinting America’s possible departure from the US-Japan security treaty. It does follow a familiar pattern of treating allies as foes and foes as friends. Well done Mr. President you are fast forwarding America’s demise ably supported by your Republican co-conspirators.