A New Agenda for Trump-Putin Summit 2.0

2018-07-20

This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute. Donald Trump has a well-deserved reputation for pugnaciousness. If he is attacked, he reflexively fights back. That may explain his decision – in the face of intense criticism over his summit with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Finland last week – to schedule another one in Washington for some time this fall. Whatever the motivation for such a meeting, it affords an opportunity for a do-over by Mr. Trump. That should include, among ...

This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute.

Donald Trump has a well-deserved reputation for pugnaciousness. If he is attacked, he reflexively fights back.

That may explain his decision – in the face of intense criticism over his summit with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Finland last week – to schedule another one in Washington for some time this fall.

Whatever the motivation for such a meeting, it affords an opportunity for a do-over by Mr. Trump. That should include, among other things, resetting the agenda. After all, the one Putin claimed the President had embraced is substantially at odds with Trump administration policies – and U.S. interests.

For example, President Trump seeks to modernize our obsolescent nuclear deterrent, build effective, global missile defenses and deploy a space force. The Russians are determined to obstruct those much-needed initiatives.

At Summit 2.0 and during its run-up, we must pursue the Trump agenda, not Putin’s.

This is Frank Gaffney.

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