Russian Asset? What Makes You Think Trump is a Russian Asset?

I believe it was Socrates, or maybe Aristotle, who said, "Duh." https://t.co/W6GscUhvNF

— Ben. No More, No Less. (@BJS_quire) November 12, 2019

Why does Trump express constant and consistent fealty towards Putin?

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) November 12, 2019

 

Trump sees CNN report of a US Navy ship entering the Black Sea and see it as a challenge to Russia, calls Bolton at home and orders him to cancel the mission. pic.twitter.com/eCfOG72H47

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 12, 2019

 

The story here is consistent with so much else: a deep, inexplicable subservience to/admiration of Putin. Yet this is triggered, apparently by a CNN report, not some angry call from Putin. And a couple months later they went ahead and made the visit anyway. No CNN, no problem.

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 12, 2019

There is one remarkably consistent feature of Trump’s foreign policy: his deep reluctance to anger or thwart Russia. https://t.co/I8caZ1A5mU

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) November 12, 2019

 

 

Nikki Haley on NBC just now insisting Trump is a “truthful” president and tougher on Russia than any previous president. She appears to be all in.

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) November 12, 2019

 

Which doesn't explain why Trump has said NOTHING about Russia taking over American military bases in Syria (some lock, stock and barrel) and was withholding military aid to Ukraine that Ukraine needed to keep Russia from overrunning Ukraine, until Congress found out about it:

The Russians “would love the humiliation of Zelensky at the hands of the Americans,” William B. Taylor Jr., the top diplomat in Kiev who nearly quit in protest, testified to Congress.

This account of the effort to muscle the Ukrainians for Mr. Trump’s political gain is based on interviews with more than a dozen American and Ukrainian principals as well as thousands of pages of witnesses’ testimony in the House impeachment inquiry. More details and revelations are likely to surface in the hearings that begin Wednesday in the historic House Ways and Means Committee room on Capitol Hill.

But what is already striking is the intense pressure the Trump White House exerted on one of the weakest nations in Europe. Mr. Zelensky dodged the White House’s demands for months, but with one or more Ukrainians a week dying under Russian fire in the east, he finally ran out of options. In a CNN interview scheduled for Sept. 13, Mr. Zelensky aimed to satisfy Mr. Trump with an announcement about investigations.

Only at the last minute, after key members of Congress erupted in protest over Mr. Trump’s actions, did the White House release the aid. Mr. Zelensky canceled his appearance, and — for the moment, at least — Ukraine’s perils abated.

Yeah, I've got no idea why anyone would think Trump was a Russian asset.