Trump Talked To Putin (Who Attacked US Democracy) About Mueller Report
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shake hand at the beginning of a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, Monday, July 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Today, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone for an hour. Among other topics, Trump spoke about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that the two leaders agreed “there was no collusion.” When President Trump was asked if he asked Putin not to meddle in future elections, Trump said: “we didn’t discuss that.”
President Trump tweeted about the phone call:
Had a long and very good conversation with President Putin of Russia. As I have always said, long before the Witch Hunt started, getting along with Russia, China, and everyone is a good thing, not a bad thing….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2019
….We discussed Trade, Venezuela, Ukraine, North Korea, Nuclear Arms Control and even the “Russian Hoax.” Very productive talk!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2019
So, let’s break this down. First of all, the President of the United States should not be talking about the Mueller report with the despot who was behind what the Mueller report outlined as an attack on US democracy all while the Trump administration does nothing to address future interference.
When it comes to the President calling this the “Russian Hoax,” Mueller’s report clearly outlines how Russia’s interference and the Trump Campaign’s receptiveness to it was no hoax. Over the lifetime of the probe, the Special Counsel levied 37 indictments, 6 of which were indictments from Trump associates – 5 pleaded guilty. That included the indictments of 25 Russian individuals or entities for hacking and leaking Democratic emails as well as running the Russian troll operation.
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On the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia waged espionage and propaganda campaigns against the US in an effort to influence the 2016 election. Hackers stole Democratic emails and strategically leaked them through Wikileaks to damage Hillary Clinton’s candidacy and help Donald Trump. The Internet Research Agency (IRA) targeted millions of American voters with propaganda on social media. Hackers also targeted voter systems around the country, although there is no evidence any votes were altered.
When it comes to the “no collusion” talking point, as we know, that is false. Mueller did not charge the Trump campaign with a criminal conspiracy but the report did outline over 100 pages of collusion evidence. The Trump Campaign was receptive to Russia’s help. It also included 10 key obstructive acts on the part of President Trump. Today’s capitulating phone call was no surprise. It’s reminiscent of President Trump’s performance in Helsinki, Finland where he sided with Putin over the US Intelligence Community. President Trump has also been pushing Russia’s interests, from his attacks on the NATO alliance to his undermining of Americans’ faith in their institutions.
As we know, Russia’s assault on American Democracy is far from over, and the Trump administration’s inaction when it comes to preventing future election interference has been widely reported. Whether you’re a Trump supporter or not, one would hope that the President of the United States would stand up to attacks on US democracy. But I guess in Trump’s case, it’s completely fine if those attacks benefit him politically.
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