Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:40 pm
Screen capture from ABC’s This Week
Earlier this week Trump called Putin’s praise of him an “honor”, even after a rather disgusted Joe Scarborough pointed out that Putin kills journalists. No biggie, we kill people, too! The Donald replied. No skin off his back. Flattery is flattery.
And Sunday, when asked to explain his attitude on ABC’s This Week, Trump elevated himself to President Obama’s stature and petulantly sneered that Putin didn’t like Obama. Putin likes Trump. Hee-hee, Trump wins. Chest thump.
Trump was just drunk on the praise, so drunk that he had to repeat it for the audience. Putin said I’m brilliant. Putin said I’m brilliant. Putin said I’m brilliant. Shine a bigger light on that mirror. BRILLIANT!!! Dazzled. Trump then proceeded to defend Putin against accusations that he kills journalists.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
So easily swayed by flattery is the Donald.
Watch here on ABC’s This Week:
ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos
Transcript from ABC:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s move on to Vladimir Putin. You got that praise from Vladimir Putin this week, called it “a great honor.” You also said you’ve always felt fine about Putin.
How can you say you feel fine about Vladimir Putin when he backs our adversaries like Bashar Assad, when he backs Iran, when he invades Ukraine?TRUMP: I have been an extremely successful dealmaker. That’s what I’ve done over years. And I know people, because deals are people. And I think I’ll get along very well, for the good of our country, for the good of our country. This is what I want. Make America great again.
I believe I’ll get along fine with Putin. I believe I’ll get along fine with other leaders. Obama doesn’t get along with Putin. Putin can’t stand our president and it’s causing us difficulty. And, frankly, and I said it a long time ago, if Russia wants to bomb the hell out of ISIS and join us in that effort, I am absolutely fine with it. I think that’s an asset, not a liability. So if Putin respects me and if Putin wants to call me brilliant and other things that he said which were, frankly, very nice, I’ll accept that and I’ll accept that on behalf of our country, because if we get along well with Russia, that’s a positive thing, George, not a negative thing.
Stephanopoulos countered, “Well, you want to get along well with Putin, but you seem to be alienating some of our allies. … Is it wise to be praising our adversaries and alienating our allies?”
Trump then took refuge from the issue with the standard operating procedure of Republicans, fear-mongering about terrorism.
The problem with this tactic is that while the unthinking masses might fall for Trump’s childish worldview, the man is a walking, talking weapon of mass destruction as a politician. What is entertaining on reality TV is downright terrifying as a potential leader with power.
Trump then defended Putin, with an “in all fairness to Putin… I haven’t seen that. (Putin killing journalists).”
TRUMP: But, in all fairness to Putin, you’re saying he killed people. I haven’t’ seen that. I don’t know that he has. Have you been able to prove that? Do you know the names of the reporters that he’s killed? Because I’ve been — you know, you’ve been hearing this, but I haven’t seen the name. Now, I think it would be despicable if that took place, but I haven’t’ seen any evidence that he killed anybody in terms of reporters.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Here’s what — here’s what Mitt Romney tweeted about that. He said, there’s an important distinction here. Thug Putin kills journalists and opponents. Our presidents kill terrorists and enemy combatants.
TRUMP: Does he know for a fact that he kills the reporters? I don’t know — I don’t think anybody knows that. It’s possible that he does. But I don’t think it’s been proven. Has anybody proven that he’s killed reporters? And I’m not trying to stick up for anybody –
STEPHANOPOULOS: There have been many allegations that he was behind the killing of (INAUDIBLE) and –
TRUMP: No, no, allegations. There are allegations. Yes, sure, there are allegations. I’ve read those allegations over the years, but nobody’s proven that he’s killed anybody as far as I’m concerned. He hasn’t killed reporters that it’s been proven. Now, if he has –
“As far as I’m concerned” – those words get Donald out of a lot of messes, because they allow him to deny reality. He’s not saying anything except that as far as he is concerned, Putin hasn’t killed journalists because he hasn’t witnessed it. Totally great judgment for a world leader, eh? Too bad Russia has been known as one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists for quite some time now.
Trump defending Putin’s police state should frighten thinking people, if they aren’t already scared enough by the fact that he is being accepted in one of two major political parties as a legitimate offering for president.
Another problem with Donald Trump, aside from his troubling bigotry and excessive lack of knowledge about pretty much everything involving the job he’s running for, is his overweening ego. Sure all politicians need big egos. But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has an ego so big, so directive, so needy, that it is easily swayed, and dare I suggest played, by simple flattery. Donald loves anyone who offers him a deceptive mirror.
Donald Trump is another Republican Tartuffe. A hypocritical, ignorant, immodest, juvenile and needy egomaniac, ripe for being played by leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
