Jonathan Chait reports that a meeting at the G7 this past weekend “went off the rails when Trump blasted leaders for not including Russia.”
“Remarkably, Trump’s performance behind closed doors managed to go even farther in pleading Putin’s case. “Trump’s extraordinary promotion of Putin proved to be the most tense disagreement,”reports the Washington Post, which adds that Trump’s fervent advocacy for Putin “was coolly received by other leaders at the gathering,” and that the meeting “went off the rails when Trump blasted leaders for not including Russia.”
Sources from inside the meeting tell the Post Trump’s presence was tantamount to having Putin himself in the room:
But having such a forceful advocate for an authoritarian leader inside the room of democracies profoundly shaped the overall tone of the summit, one senior official said.
“The consequence is the same as if one of the participants is a dictator,” the official said. “No community of like-minded leaders who are pulling together.”
I can’t figure which is worse, Trump’s craven desire to do his master’s bidding or his seizing upon Obama’s legacy to use as a fig leaf for his naked shilling.
Obama responded to Russia’s aggression in Crimea as any sane leader not in the pay of Moscow would, by kicking them out of the former G8 and imposing sanctions.
Trump is now trying to undo both those actions.
His only defense for his cowardice is what it always is — projection and blaming someone else for his failings.