Mr. President, Putin is No Friend

2017-07-19

This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute. Donald Trump has made no secret of wanting an improved relationship between the United States and Vladimir Putin’s Russia. And during his presidency to date, Mr. Trump has relentlessly pursued that goal. My greatest concern about this agenda has always been that Putin would perceive his American counterpart’s efforts as evidence of weakness or worse, appeasement. We saw how that worked out when Barack Obama actually engaged in such acco...

This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute.

Donald Trump has made no secret of wanting an improved relationship between the United States and Vladimir Putin’s Russia. And during his presidency to date, Mr. Trump has relentlessly pursued that goal.

My greatest concern about this agenda has always been that Putin would perceive his American counterpart’s efforts as evidence of weakness or worse, appeasement. We saw how that worked out when Barack Obama actually engaged in such accommodating behavior – namely, the Kremlin’s immense nuclear buildup, serial aggression and mounting threats to our allies and this country.

Now, Mr. Trump faces an all-too-common presidential temptation. Having forged a personal relationship with an adversarial leader, including over dinner at the recent G-20 meeting, the American senses that their rapport will overcome real, serious and abiding conflicts.

As they say in New York, Mr. President, when it comes to Vladimir Putin, fuggedaboutit.

This is Frank Gaffney.

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