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NY Prosecutor Hoffinger Takes over Trump Case After Veteran Prosecutors Resign. Who is ADA Hoffinger
The Manhattan District Attorney's Officer had been steadily moving forward in its criminal investigation of the Trump Organization and Donald Trump. Indeed, that office indicted both the Trump Organization and Donald Trump's Chief Financial Officer Alan Weisselberg for charges including a 15-year-long criminal scheme to defraud in the first degree. But with the arrival of the newly elected District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the two top prosecutors on the Trump investigation abruptly resigned amid reports that the new DA was disinclined to indict Donald Trump.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has now fired back, saying they have no intention of dropping the investigation into Donald Trump, and indentifying the new top prosecutor who will head up the 25-person-team involved in the Trump Organization prosecution. Her name is Susan Hoffinger. Ms. Hoffinger just joined the DA's office this month after being in private practice for decades. This video looks at Ms. Hoffinger's experience and poses the question, what makes her the right person with the right experience at the right time to take over the criminal investigation of a former president of the United States.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Officer had been steadily moving forward in its criminal investigation of the Trump Organization and Donald Trump. Indeed, that office indicted both the Trump Organization and Donald Trump's Chief Financial Officer Alan Weisselberg for charges including a 15-year-long criminal scheme to defraud in the first degree. But with the arrival of the newly elected District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the two top prosecutors on the Trump investigation abruptly resigned amid reports that the new DA was disinclined to indict Donald Trump.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has now fired back, saying they have no intention of dropping the investigation into Donald Trump, and indentifying the new top prosecutor who will head up the 25-person-team involved in the Trump Organization prosecution. Her name is Susan Hoffinger. Ms. Hoffinger just joined the DA's office this month after being in private practice for decades. This video looks at Ms. Hoffinger's experience and poses the question, what makes her the right person with the right experience at the right time to take over the criminal investigation of a former president of the United States.
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Bill Barr Reportedly Burns His Bridges in Scathing Tell All, Sounds Off on Trump’s ‘Erratic Personal Behavior’ and Blames Him for Jan. 6
Former Attorney General Bill Barr is unsparing in his criticism of former President Donald Trump, according to an early preview of his forthcoming tell all.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the former AG goes after his ex-boss regularly over the course of his 600 page tome “One Damn Thing After Another” — which is set for release on March 8. In the book, Barr sets fire to the former president’s false claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him.
“The election was not ‘stolen,’” Barr wrote. “Trump lost it.”
The former AG added that he believes Trump would have won if he had “just exercised a modicum of self-restraint, moderating even a little of his pettiness.” He also called for the Republican party to move on from Trump and his “erratic personal behavior” in 2024.
Barr recounts a Dec. 1 Oval Office meeting in which Trump berated him for publicly saying he found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
“This is killing me — killing me. This is pulling the rug right out from under me,” Trump screamed at Barr, according to the book. The former president added, “You must hate Trump. You would only do this if you hate Trump.”
The Journal concluded its preview of the book by including this line from Barr blaming the Jan. 6 Capitol attack squarely on Trump.
“The absurd lengths to which he took his ‘stolen election’ claim led to the rioting on Capitol Hill,”
Former Attorney General Bill Barr is unsparing in his criticism of former President Donald Trump, according to an early preview of his forthcoming tell all.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the former AG goes after his ex-boss regularly over the course of his 600 page tome “One Damn Thing After Another” — which is set for release on March 8. In the book, Barr sets fire to the former president’s false claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him.
“The election was not ‘stolen,’” Barr wrote. “Trump lost it.”
The former AG added that he believes Trump would have won if he had “just exercised a modicum of self-restraint, moderating even a little of his pettiness.” He also called for the Republican party to move on from Trump and his “erratic personal behavior” in 2024.
Barr recounts a Dec. 1 Oval Office meeting in which Trump berated him for publicly saying he found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
“This is killing me — killing me. This is pulling the rug right out from under me,” Trump screamed at Barr, according to the book. The former president added, “You must hate Trump. You would only do this if you hate Trump.”
The Journal concluded its preview of the book by including this line from Barr blaming the Jan. 6 Capitol attack squarely on Trump.
“The absurd lengths to which he took his ‘stolen election’ claim led to the rioting on Capitol Hill,”
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Ex-Prosecutor Says She Can Prove Trump Committed Two Crimes
Did Donald Trump commit a crime on and before Jan. 6? Barbara McQuade, former national security prosecutor for the Eastern District of Michigan, says yes. And according to a recent analysis she published, she concludes that the former president actually committed two crimes: conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
Lucky for us, she joins The New Abnormal’s first unlocked Sunday bonus episode to explain her findings. But she wants to make one thing clear.
“There may very well be additional crimes, but this was solely relating to his pressure on Mike Pence to see whether any crimes were committed,” she says. “What he did is actually pretty clear: public and private statements about pressuring Mike Pence,” she says.
Then there’s the big lie.
McQuade believes it can be proven that Trump committed the crime of defrauding the U.S. because prosecutors don’t need him to admit he lied about the election results. All they need to prove is that he “engaged in willful blindness” about it.
That means a person was “aware of a very high probability that the fact was true, but they simply turned a blind eye to the thing they did not want to acknowledge. I think you can’t help but conclude that Donald Trump knew that there was no fraud here,” she says.
McQuade comes prepared with backup: a laundry list of examples and people who made it so obvious that Trump lost the election, she says, it would be hard to conclude he didn’t know the truth of the situation.
Also in this episode, Andy Levy makes his Sunday episode debut, just in time to listen to clips of Josh Mandel sounding stupid and to unpack Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott’s criminalization of trans kids. It’s a move Andy calls “full-on fascist.”
Did Donald Trump commit a crime on and before Jan. 6? Barbara McQuade, former national security prosecutor for the Eastern District of Michigan, says yes. And according to a recent analysis she published, she concludes that the former president actually committed two crimes: conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
Lucky for us, she joins The New Abnormal’s first unlocked Sunday bonus episode to explain her findings. But she wants to make one thing clear.
“There may very well be additional crimes, but this was solely relating to his pressure on Mike Pence to see whether any crimes were committed,” she says. “What he did is actually pretty clear: public and private statements about pressuring Mike Pence,” she says.
Then there’s the big lie.
McQuade believes it can be proven that Trump committed the crime of defrauding the U.S. because prosecutors don’t need him to admit he lied about the election results. All they need to prove is that he “engaged in willful blindness” about it.
That means a person was “aware of a very high probability that the fact was true, but they simply turned a blind eye to the thing they did not want to acknowledge. I think you can’t help but conclude that Donald Trump knew that there was no fraud here,” she says.
McQuade comes prepared with backup: a laundry list of examples and people who made it so obvious that Trump lost the election, she says, it would be hard to conclude he didn’t know the truth of the situation.
Also in this episode, Andy Levy makes his Sunday episode debut, just in time to listen to clips of Josh Mandel sounding stupid and to unpack Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott’s criminalization of trans kids. It’s a move Andy calls “full-on fascist.”
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Washington Post: Bill Barr says Trump 'has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers' of a leader
Former US Attorney General Bill Barr thinks former President Donald Trump "has shown he has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers" of a leader, according to excerpts of his forthcoming book obtained by The Washington Post.
"We need leaders not only capable of fighting and 'punching,' but also persuading and attracting -- leaders who can frame, and advocate for, an uplifting vision of what it means to share in American citizenship," Barr, who served as Trump's second attorney general, wrote in the book, "One Damn Thing After Another," according to the Post.
The comments from the onetime Trump loyalist come as the former President continues to hold considerable influence over the style and direction of the Republican Party, serving as its standard-bearer more than a year after leaving office.
According to the Post, Barr says in the book that the prospect of Trump running for president again was "dismaying."
CNN has been unable to obtain a copy of the book. Barr did not comment to CNN on the new reporting on the book.
When Barr resigned in December 2020 after telling The Associated Press that the Justice Department had not found any evidence of widespread voter fraud, his split with Trump seemed mostly -- at least publicly -- amicable, with Barr using his resignation letter to offer a glowing account of Trump's tenure.
But since then, he has joined a growing list of former administration officials who have unloaded on their former boss for his rhetoric and fixations, including his persistent lies about the 2020 election results.
"The election was not 'stolen,'" Barr writes in the new book, according to the Post. "Trump lost it."
The former attorney general also argues that Trump's election lies led to the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, the Post said in its report, though he stops short of saying the former President "incited" the deadly attack.
"Incitement has a legal definition, and Trump's statements would not fit that definition in any American court," Barr writes.
Shortly after the insurrection, the House impeached Trump for inciting the mob, though he was later acquitted by the Senate in a vote that took place after Joe Biden's inauguration.
Following Barr's exit from the administration, Trump's public statements about him became much more critical, with the former President lashing out at Barr last summer in response to Barr saying in a speparate book written by ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl that he suspected Trump's claims of widespread election fraud were "all bullsh*t."
Trump said in a blistering statement at the time that Barr "was a disappointment in every sense of the word," and referred to his former attorney general as a "RINO," an acronym that stands for "Republican in name only."
CNN has reached out to Trump's office for a comment on Barr's book.
www.cnn.com
Former US Attorney General Bill Barr thinks former President Donald Trump "has shown he has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers" of a leader, according to excerpts of his forthcoming book obtained by The Washington Post.
"We need leaders not only capable of fighting and 'punching,' but also persuading and attracting -- leaders who can frame, and advocate for, an uplifting vision of what it means to share in American citizenship," Barr, who served as Trump's second attorney general, wrote in the book, "One Damn Thing After Another," according to the Post.
The comments from the onetime Trump loyalist come as the former President continues to hold considerable influence over the style and direction of the Republican Party, serving as its standard-bearer more than a year after leaving office.
According to the Post, Barr says in the book that the prospect of Trump running for president again was "dismaying."
CNN has been unable to obtain a copy of the book. Barr did not comment to CNN on the new reporting on the book.
When Barr resigned in December 2020 after telling The Associated Press that the Justice Department had not found any evidence of widespread voter fraud, his split with Trump seemed mostly -- at least publicly -- amicable, with Barr using his resignation letter to offer a glowing account of Trump's tenure.
But since then, he has joined a growing list of former administration officials who have unloaded on their former boss for his rhetoric and fixations, including his persistent lies about the 2020 election results.
"The election was not 'stolen,'" Barr writes in the new book, according to the Post. "Trump lost it."
The former attorney general also argues that Trump's election lies led to the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, the Post said in its report, though he stops short of saying the former President "incited" the deadly attack.
"Incitement has a legal definition, and Trump's statements would not fit that definition in any American court," Barr writes.
Shortly after the insurrection, the House impeached Trump for inciting the mob, though he was later acquitted by the Senate in a vote that took place after Joe Biden's inauguration.
Following Barr's exit from the administration, Trump's public statements about him became much more critical, with the former President lashing out at Barr last summer in response to Barr saying in a speparate book written by ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl that he suspected Trump's claims of widespread election fraud were "all bullsh*t."
Trump said in a blistering statement at the time that Barr "was a disappointment in every sense of the word," and referred to his former attorney general as a "RINO," an acronym that stands for "Republican in name only."
CNN has reached out to Trump's office for a comment on Barr's book.
Washington Post: Bill Barr says Trump 'has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers' of a leader | CNN Politics
Former US Attorney General Bill Barr thinks former President Donald Trump "has shown he has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers" of a leader, according to excerpts of his forthcoming book obtained by The Washington Post.
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He’s correct about trump getting re-elected.
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Barr says Trump 'lost his grip' in forthcoming memoir
Former Attorney General William Barr writes in his forthcoming memoir that former President Trump “lost his grip” after the 2020 Presidential election, also urging the Republican party to find a different candidate for 2024, The New York Times reported.
In his new memoir, “One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General,” Barr repeatedly knocks Trump, who he fell out with amid the former president's claims of election fraud.
“He stopped listening to his advisers, became manic and unreasonable, and was off the rails,” Barr writes in his memoir, per the Times. “He surrounded himself with sycophants, including many whack jobs from outside the government, who fed him a steady diet of comforting but unsupported conspiracy theories.”
Barr also urges GOP leaders to pick someone else to be the party’s presidential candidate in 2024, calling another potential Trump campaign “dismaying,” according to the Times.
“Donald Trump has shown he has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers to provide the kind of positive leadership that is needed,” Barr writes.
Barr also wrote that Trump become furious with his attorney general during a December 2020 meeting, after the Department of Justice found nothing to support Trump’s election fraud claims.
Trump reportedly accused Barr of “pulling the rug out from under me.” When Barr tried to explain why various claims of a election fraud were unfounded and offered to resign from his position, Trump slammed the table and yelled “accepted!" the former AG wrote.
In a statement last June, Trump referred to his former attorney general as a “swamp creature” after he called Trump's election claims "bullshit" in a book authored by ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.
"Barr was a 'swamp creature' who was devastated when the Radical Left wanted to impeach him," Trump said at the time. "It takes a very strong and special person to go against the 'mob'. Bill Barr was not that person."
thehill.com
Former Attorney General William Barr writes in his forthcoming memoir that former President Trump “lost his grip” after the 2020 Presidential election, also urging the Republican party to find a different candidate for 2024, The New York Times reported.
In his new memoir, “One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General,” Barr repeatedly knocks Trump, who he fell out with amid the former president's claims of election fraud.
“He stopped listening to his advisers, became manic and unreasonable, and was off the rails,” Barr writes in his memoir, per the Times. “He surrounded himself with sycophants, including many whack jobs from outside the government, who fed him a steady diet of comforting but unsupported conspiracy theories.”
Barr also urges GOP leaders to pick someone else to be the party’s presidential candidate in 2024, calling another potential Trump campaign “dismaying,” according to the Times.
“Donald Trump has shown he has neither the temperament nor persuasive powers to provide the kind of positive leadership that is needed,” Barr writes.
Barr also wrote that Trump become furious with his attorney general during a December 2020 meeting, after the Department of Justice found nothing to support Trump’s election fraud claims.
Trump reportedly accused Barr of “pulling the rug out from under me.” When Barr tried to explain why various claims of a election fraud were unfounded and offered to resign from his position, Trump slammed the table and yelled “accepted!" the former AG wrote.
In a statement last June, Trump referred to his former attorney general as a “swamp creature” after he called Trump's election claims "bullshit" in a book authored by ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.
"Barr was a 'swamp creature' who was devastated when the Radical Left wanted to impeach him," Trump said at the time. "It takes a very strong and special person to go against the 'mob'. Bill Barr was not that person."
Barr says Trump ‘lost his grip’ in forthcoming memoir
Former Attorney General William Barr writes in his forthcoming memoir that former President Trump “lost his grip” after the 2020 presidential election, also urging the Republican Party to find a di…
thehill.com
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Trump appeals order that he sit for NY deposition
Trump's lawyers filed a notice that they were seeking a review from the state appellate court after Judge Arthur Engoron earlier this month ordered the former president and his two eldest children to sit for a deposition with the attorney general's office.
Engoron's ruling this month rejected Trump's effort to quash the subpoenas and prevent New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) from moving forward with her probe.
"In the final analysis, a State Attorney General commences investigating a business entity, uncovers copious evidence of possible financial fraud, and wants to question, under oath, several of the entities' principals, including its namesake. She has the clear right to do so," Engoron wrote in the decision.
James's office did not immediately respond when asked for comment on the appeal.
Trump's attorneys also did not immediately offer comment, but they attacked Engoron's ruling earlier this month. Alina Habba, one of the former president's lawyers in the case, said in an emailed statement at the time that it "confirmed what we’ve already known for some time — Donald J. Trump cannot get a fair ruling in the State of New York."
"The abhorrent statements made by Letitia leave no doubt that this is yet another politically motivated witch-hunt," Habba said. "It is disappointing that the Judge overlooked her egregious prosecutorial misconduct and has allowed her investigation — which blatantly violates the US Constitution — to continue undeterred. The court clearly had its mind made up and had no interest in engaging in impartial discourse on this critically important issue."
Trump has repeatedly attacked the investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt on social media and in the courts, even filing a federal lawsuit asking for an injunction against the probe.
thehill.com
Trump's lawyers filed a notice that they were seeking a review from the state appellate court after Judge Arthur Engoron earlier this month ordered the former president and his two eldest children to sit for a deposition with the attorney general's office.
Engoron's ruling this month rejected Trump's effort to quash the subpoenas and prevent New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) from moving forward with her probe.
"In the final analysis, a State Attorney General commences investigating a business entity, uncovers copious evidence of possible financial fraud, and wants to question, under oath, several of the entities' principals, including its namesake. She has the clear right to do so," Engoron wrote in the decision.
James's office did not immediately respond when asked for comment on the appeal.
Trump's attorneys also did not immediately offer comment, but they attacked Engoron's ruling earlier this month. Alina Habba, one of the former president's lawyers in the case, said in an emailed statement at the time that it "confirmed what we’ve already known for some time — Donald J. Trump cannot get a fair ruling in the State of New York."
"The abhorrent statements made by Letitia leave no doubt that this is yet another politically motivated witch-hunt," Habba said. "It is disappointing that the Judge overlooked her egregious prosecutorial misconduct and has allowed her investigation — which blatantly violates the US Constitution — to continue undeterred. The court clearly had its mind made up and had no interest in engaging in impartial discourse on this critically important issue."
Trump has repeatedly attacked the investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt on social media and in the courts, even filing a federal lawsuit asking for an injunction against the probe.
Trump appeals order that he sit for NY deposition
Former President Trump on Monday appealed a New York judge’s order that he comply with the state attorney general’s subpoena for his testimony as part of a wide-ranging civil investigat…
thehill.com
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John Bolton: Not accurate to say 'Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians'
Former national security adviser John Bolton pushed back against the idea that former President Trump’s behavior discouraged Russian military aggression while he was in office, saying, “It’s just not accurate to say that Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians.”
During an interview with Bolton, Newsmax host Rob Schmitt said that “there is something to be said, though, about the simple fact that there was not aggression during the four years” Trump was in office, noting a list of actions that the Washington think tank Brookings Institution said the Trump administration took against Russia.
“I mean, he took a very tough stance against Russia. I'm surprised you don't think that he would have handled it better than Joe Biden,” Schmitt told Bolton.
“He did not,” Bolton replied. “We didn't sanction Nord Stream 2. We should have. We should have brought the project to an end. We did impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs and several others because of their sales of S-400 anti-aircraft systems to other countries. But in almost every case, the sanctions were imposed with Trump complaining about it, saying we were being too hard.”
The Trump-era national security adviser claimed the former president did not know where Ukraine was on a map and said he believed Russia did not take more aggressive actions while Trump was in office because Russia “didn’t feel that their military was ready.”
“The fact is that he barely knew where Ukraine was. He once asked John Kelly, his second chief of staff, if Finland were a part of Russia. It’s just not accurate to say that Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians,” Bolton said.
Taylor Budowich, a spokesperson for Trump, slammed Bolton's comments in a statement to The Hill.
“John Bolton was fired because he believes anything less than war is not enough. President Trump ensured peace during his administration and ended wars, making Bolton irrelevant," Budowich said.
A majority of Americans believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump were still president, according to a poll released last week.
A Harvard Center for American Political Studies-Harris Poll survey last week found that 62 percent of those polled believed Putin would not be moving against Ukraine if Trump were still in office.
thehill.com
Former national security adviser John Bolton pushed back against the idea that former President Trump’s behavior discouraged Russian military aggression while he was in office, saying, “It’s just not accurate to say that Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians.”
During an interview with Bolton, Newsmax host Rob Schmitt said that “there is something to be said, though, about the simple fact that there was not aggression during the four years” Trump was in office, noting a list of actions that the Washington think tank Brookings Institution said the Trump administration took against Russia.
“I mean, he took a very tough stance against Russia. I'm surprised you don't think that he would have handled it better than Joe Biden,” Schmitt told Bolton.
“He did not,” Bolton replied. “We didn't sanction Nord Stream 2. We should have. We should have brought the project to an end. We did impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs and several others because of their sales of S-400 anti-aircraft systems to other countries. But in almost every case, the sanctions were imposed with Trump complaining about it, saying we were being too hard.”
The Trump-era national security adviser claimed the former president did not know where Ukraine was on a map and said he believed Russia did not take more aggressive actions while Trump was in office because Russia “didn’t feel that their military was ready.”
“The fact is that he barely knew where Ukraine was. He once asked John Kelly, his second chief of staff, if Finland were a part of Russia. It’s just not accurate to say that Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians,” Bolton said.
Taylor Budowich, a spokesperson for Trump, slammed Bolton's comments in a statement to The Hill.
“John Bolton was fired because he believes anything less than war is not enough. President Trump ensured peace during his administration and ended wars, making Bolton irrelevant," Budowich said.
A majority of Americans believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump were still president, according to a poll released last week.
A Harvard Center for American Political Studies-Harris Poll survey last week found that 62 percent of those polled believed Putin would not be moving against Ukraine if Trump were still in office.
John Bolton: Not accurate to say ‘Trump’s behavior somehow deterred the Russians’
Former national security adviser John Bolton pushed back against the idea that former President Trump’s behavior discouraged Russian military aggression while he was in office, saying, “It’s j…
thehill.com
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GOP senators push back hard on Trump's praise of Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed tensions within the Republican Party over how hard to push back on the aggression and how to respond to former President Trump’s glowing praise of Putin.
The national security crisis has shown Trump to be seriously out of step with GOP leaders on characterizing Putin’s motives and moves, even though Trump looks increasingly likely to run again for president in 2024.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday contradicted Trump’s recent praise of Putin as “smart” and “savvy” by declaring that he views the Russian president as a “ruthless thug.”
Asked about Trump’s comments, McConnell said: “What President Putin did as a ruthless thug is just invade — invaded another sovereign country and killed thousands of innocent people.”
McConnell pushed back against the then-president in 2017 when Trump, shortly after taking office, equated the U.S. government with the Kremlin.
“There are a lot of killers. You think our country’s so innocent?” Trump told then-Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.
McConnell told CNN in response: “I don’t think there’s any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does.”
The GOP leader noted that “Putin’s a former KGB agent, he’s a thug, he was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election.”
Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) on Tuesday unleashed another salvo at Putin when asked to comment on Trump’s characterization of Putin’s plan to seize parts of Ukraine piece by piece as “genius.”
Asked about Trump’s praise of the Russian president, Thune, who is up for reelection this year, said “Putin is a murderous thug and I think the world is now seeing that.”
“That’s my view of it and I think that’s going to be most Americans’ view of it. That was before and will be for sure after what we’re seeing on display,” he said.
Thune predicted that the invasion of Ukraine will bolster support for NATO, which Trump discussed pulling the United States out of when he was president.
“Obviously people are realizing more than ever now the value of NATO and seeing on full display, again, the true character of Putin,” he said. “A lot of people for a long time have maintained this is what he’s about but I think now the whole world is seeing it in a way that they never have before and coming to the realization that this guy is after one thing and that’s power.”
Trump broke from the Republican Party’s longtime distrust of Russia when he was elected to office. He held a two-hour one-on-one meeting with Putin in Helsinki, Finland, sending senior officials out of the room. After that meeting, Trump said he believed Putin’s claim that Russia didn’t interfere in the 2016 presidential election, even though U.S. intelligence agencies found substantial evidence of meddling by Moscow.
The late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), then the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, lambasted Trump’s joint press conference with Putin as “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.”
Years later, Trump still seems to hold a favorable opinion of Putin, telling an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend: “I like to tell the truth. Yes, he’s smart.”
“The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he’s smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb,” he added.
He doubled down on comments made in a radio interview with “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” in which he praised Putin’s strategy as “genius” and “pretty savvy.”
Those statements surprised Republican senators who publicly condemned Putin.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who voted twice to convict Trump on articles of impeachment, said statements defending Putin are “almost treasonous.”
“It just makes me ill to see some of these people do that. But of course they do it because it’s shock value and it’s going to get them maybe more eyeballs and make a little more money for them or their network,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a mainstream Republican senator who usually avoids controversy, took to the Senate floor on Monday to declare that Putin alone is responsible for the crisis in Ukraine.
“Vladimir Putin is a thug and is solely responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. Putin, I condemn him, and he’s even being condemned by his own people in Russia and by a growing alliance around the world,” he said. “There is nothing that justifies Russia invading Ukraine. This is the most significant intrusion from one country to another since the beginning in the 1930s of what resulted in World War II.”
Moran later told The Hill that he felt compelled to speak out.
“Reading history, Churchill in that era is important to me. My dad was a World War II veteran. It stands out. It’s easy to look the other way but that’s a mistake,” he said.
Asked whether he was trying to clear up questions of whether President Biden deserves some blame for the invasion, as Trump has suggested, Moran only said: “Vladimir Putin is responsible for what’s transpiring in Ukraine.”
“I think these are points in time in which these circumstances require us to be united in making sure the blame rests with Putin,” he said.
Not all Republicans are responding to Trump’s comments with forceful denunciations of Putin.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is eyeing a run for president in 2024, said the “corporate media” is distracting from what he views as the Biden administration’s reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia sooner by focusing on Trump.
“I think the corporate media is desperate to drive a narrative. By any measure, Trump’s policies were much, much tougher on Russia than Biden’s policies,” he said, noting sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that Trump signed into law. “Putin did not invade Ukraine throughout that time until Joe Biden became president.”
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton told Newsmax in an interview that he disagrees with claims that Trump’s policies deterred Putin.
“It’s just not accurate to say that Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians,” Bolton told host Rob Schmitt.
Bolton also disputed the claim that Trump stopped or slowed construction on Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that would carry natural gas from Russia to Germany.
“We didn't sanction Nord Stream 2. We should have. We should have brought the project to an end. We did impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs and several others because of their sales of S-400 anti-aircraft systems to other countries. But in almost every case, the sanctions were imposed with Trump complaining about it, saying we were being too hard,” he said.
thehill.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed tensions within the Republican Party over how hard to push back on the aggression and how to respond to former President Trump’s glowing praise of Putin.
The national security crisis has shown Trump to be seriously out of step with GOP leaders on characterizing Putin’s motives and moves, even though Trump looks increasingly likely to run again for president in 2024.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday contradicted Trump’s recent praise of Putin as “smart” and “savvy” by declaring that he views the Russian president as a “ruthless thug.”
Asked about Trump’s comments, McConnell said: “What President Putin did as a ruthless thug is just invade — invaded another sovereign country and killed thousands of innocent people.”
McConnell pushed back against the then-president in 2017 when Trump, shortly after taking office, equated the U.S. government with the Kremlin.
“There are a lot of killers. You think our country’s so innocent?” Trump told then-Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.
McConnell told CNN in response: “I don’t think there’s any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does.”
The GOP leader noted that “Putin’s a former KGB agent, he’s a thug, he was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election.”
Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) on Tuesday unleashed another salvo at Putin when asked to comment on Trump’s characterization of Putin’s plan to seize parts of Ukraine piece by piece as “genius.”
Asked about Trump’s praise of the Russian president, Thune, who is up for reelection this year, said “Putin is a murderous thug and I think the world is now seeing that.”
“That’s my view of it and I think that’s going to be most Americans’ view of it. That was before and will be for sure after what we’re seeing on display,” he said.
Thune predicted that the invasion of Ukraine will bolster support for NATO, which Trump discussed pulling the United States out of when he was president.
“Obviously people are realizing more than ever now the value of NATO and seeing on full display, again, the true character of Putin,” he said. “A lot of people for a long time have maintained this is what he’s about but I think now the whole world is seeing it in a way that they never have before and coming to the realization that this guy is after one thing and that’s power.”
Trump broke from the Republican Party’s longtime distrust of Russia when he was elected to office. He held a two-hour one-on-one meeting with Putin in Helsinki, Finland, sending senior officials out of the room. After that meeting, Trump said he believed Putin’s claim that Russia didn’t interfere in the 2016 presidential election, even though U.S. intelligence agencies found substantial evidence of meddling by Moscow.
The late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), then the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, lambasted Trump’s joint press conference with Putin as “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.”
Years later, Trump still seems to hold a favorable opinion of Putin, telling an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend: “I like to tell the truth. Yes, he’s smart.”
“The problem is not that Putin is smart, which of course he’s smart, but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb,” he added.
He doubled down on comments made in a radio interview with “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” in which he praised Putin’s strategy as “genius” and “pretty savvy.”
Those statements surprised Republican senators who publicly condemned Putin.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who voted twice to convict Trump on articles of impeachment, said statements defending Putin are “almost treasonous.”
“It just makes me ill to see some of these people do that. But of course they do it because it’s shock value and it’s going to get them maybe more eyeballs and make a little more money for them or their network,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a mainstream Republican senator who usually avoids controversy, took to the Senate floor on Monday to declare that Putin alone is responsible for the crisis in Ukraine.
“Vladimir Putin is a thug and is solely responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. Putin, I condemn him, and he’s even being condemned by his own people in Russia and by a growing alliance around the world,” he said. “There is nothing that justifies Russia invading Ukraine. This is the most significant intrusion from one country to another since the beginning in the 1930s of what resulted in World War II.”
Moran later told The Hill that he felt compelled to speak out.
“Reading history, Churchill in that era is important to me. My dad was a World War II veteran. It stands out. It’s easy to look the other way but that’s a mistake,” he said.
Asked whether he was trying to clear up questions of whether President Biden deserves some blame for the invasion, as Trump has suggested, Moran only said: “Vladimir Putin is responsible for what’s transpiring in Ukraine.”
“I think these are points in time in which these circumstances require us to be united in making sure the blame rests with Putin,” he said.
Not all Republicans are responding to Trump’s comments with forceful denunciations of Putin.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is eyeing a run for president in 2024, said the “corporate media” is distracting from what he views as the Biden administration’s reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia sooner by focusing on Trump.
“I think the corporate media is desperate to drive a narrative. By any measure, Trump’s policies were much, much tougher on Russia than Biden’s policies,” he said, noting sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that Trump signed into law. “Putin did not invade Ukraine throughout that time until Joe Biden became president.”
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton told Newsmax in an interview that he disagrees with claims that Trump’s policies deterred Putin.
“It’s just not accurate to say that Trump's behavior somehow deterred the Russians,” Bolton told host Rob Schmitt.
Bolton also disputed the claim that Trump stopped or slowed construction on Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that would carry natural gas from Russia to Germany.
“We didn't sanction Nord Stream 2. We should have. We should have brought the project to an end. We did impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs and several others because of their sales of S-400 anti-aircraft systems to other countries. But in almost every case, the sanctions were imposed with Trump complaining about it, saying we were being too hard,” he said.
GOP senators push back hard on Trump’s praise of Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed tensions within the Republican Party over how hard to push back on the aggression and how to respond to former President Trump’s …
thehill.com
DIY-HP-LED
Well-Known Member
NY Prosecutors Investigating Trump Resign, DA Alvin Bragg Refuses to Release Resignation Letters
The Daily Beast reported that New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg is refusing to release the resignation letters submitted by the two top prosecutors - Pomerantz and Dunne - who had been assigned to the Trump Organization prosecution and the criminal investigation into Donald Trump himself. Reports are that the letters criticize DA Bragg for his refusal to focus on the case in a timely manner and for his apparent determination to forgo indicting Donald Trump for his crimes.
Troublingly, the NY DA's office is refusing to release the letters, claiming that the letters contain "too much information" and could compromise an ongoing investigation. This claim rings hollow. Are we to believe that the the two prosecutors included intimate investigative details in their resignation letters? Or is it far more likely that DA Bragg refuses to release them because the letters are deeply critical of Bragg's neglect of the case?
This highlights a fundamental and recurring problem America has encountered in recent years: a lack of accountability for high government officials who have committed crimes coupled with a troubling lack of transparency as to why our law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies are refusing to hold those officials accountable for their crimes.
This video explores how a lack of governmental transparency leads to a corrosion of public confidence in our institutions.
The Daily Beast reported that New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg is refusing to release the resignation letters submitted by the two top prosecutors - Pomerantz and Dunne - who had been assigned to the Trump Organization prosecution and the criminal investigation into Donald Trump himself. Reports are that the letters criticize DA Bragg for his refusal to focus on the case in a timely manner and for his apparent determination to forgo indicting Donald Trump for his crimes.
Troublingly, the NY DA's office is refusing to release the letters, claiming that the letters contain "too much information" and could compromise an ongoing investigation. This claim rings hollow. Are we to believe that the the two prosecutors included intimate investigative details in their resignation letters? Or is it far more likely that DA Bragg refuses to release them because the letters are deeply critical of Bragg's neglect of the case?
This highlights a fundamental and recurring problem America has encountered in recent years: a lack of accountability for high government officials who have committed crimes coupled with a troubling lack of transparency as to why our law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies are refusing to hold those officials accountable for their crimes.
This video explores how a lack of governmental transparency leads to a corrosion of public confidence in our institutions.
printer
Well-Known Member
Trump calls the Russian invasion 'a Holocaust,' urges Russia to stop fighting
Trump's remarks came during a Wednesday interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, widely seen as a Trump ally.
The former president said Russia has "to stop killing these people" and suggested a deal could be worked out to end the conflict.
His remarks were a part of a wide-ranging interview, which included criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which served as the opening note to President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
After Trump said that "something could be done with [Russia] right now," Bartiromo asked him "what's the solution."
“Well, you have to work out a deal. They have to stop killing these people," Trump answered. They're killing all of these people, and they have to stop it, and they have to stop it now,” Trump replied.
“But they don't respect the United States and the United States is like, I don't know, they’re not doing anything about it. This is a - this is a holocaust. This is a horrible thing that's happening. You're witnessing and you're seeing it on television every night.”
Trump has repeatedly put out statements saying the conflict would never have happened if he was still president.
The former president has often complimented Russian strongman leader Vladimir Putin, and held a widely-criticized summit with the Russian leader in Helsinki during his presidency where he said he believed Russia had not interfered in U.S. elections with Putin standing by him.
During the interview, Trump hesitated to say whether he believed Ukraine should be afforded membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance, saying it is a decision that's going to have to be made.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called for his country to be admitted.
"Right now, it would be a lot easier to say yes than it would have been six months ago," Trump said of the possibility.
Trump also lauded Zelensky regarding his 2019 phone call with the Ukrainian leader during his interview with Bartiromo, saying he was "very impressed by him."
Trump was referring to a phone call that helped launched lawmakers' first impeachment inquiry against the former president, in which transcripts of the call showed him asking Zelensky if damaging material on Biden and his son, Hunter, could be dug up.
thehill.com
Trump's remarks came during a Wednesday interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, widely seen as a Trump ally.
The former president said Russia has "to stop killing these people" and suggested a deal could be worked out to end the conflict.
His remarks were a part of a wide-ranging interview, which included criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which served as the opening note to President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
After Trump said that "something could be done with [Russia] right now," Bartiromo asked him "what's the solution."
“Well, you have to work out a deal. They have to stop killing these people," Trump answered. They're killing all of these people, and they have to stop it, and they have to stop it now,” Trump replied.
“But they don't respect the United States and the United States is like, I don't know, they’re not doing anything about it. This is a - this is a holocaust. This is a horrible thing that's happening. You're witnessing and you're seeing it on television every night.”
Trump has repeatedly put out statements saying the conflict would never have happened if he was still president.
The former president has often complimented Russian strongman leader Vladimir Putin, and held a widely-criticized summit with the Russian leader in Helsinki during his presidency where he said he believed Russia had not interfered in U.S. elections with Putin standing by him.
During the interview, Trump hesitated to say whether he believed Ukraine should be afforded membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance, saying it is a decision that's going to have to be made.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called for his country to be admitted.
"Right now, it would be a lot easier to say yes than it would have been six months ago," Trump said of the possibility.
Trump also lauded Zelensky regarding his 2019 phone call with the Ukrainian leader during his interview with Bartiromo, saying he was "very impressed by him."
Trump was referring to a phone call that helped launched lawmakers' first impeachment inquiry against the former president, in which transcripts of the call showed him asking Zelensky if damaging material on Biden and his son, Hunter, could be dug up.
Trump calls the Russian invasion ‘a holocaust,’ urges Russia to stop fighting
Former President Trump called the Russian invasion into Ukraine “a holocaust” and urged Russia to stop fighting, a large shift in tone since last week when the former president praised Russian Pres…
thehill.com
DIY-HP-LED
Well-Known Member
Vlad goes under the bus, so much for flying off to Russia...Trump calls the Russian invasion 'a Holocaust,' urges Russia to stop fighting
Trump's remarks came during a Wednesday interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, widely seen as a Trump ally.
The former president said Russia has "to stop killing these people" and suggested a deal could be worked out to end the conflict.
His remarks were a part of a wide-ranging interview, which included criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which served as the opening note to President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
After Trump said that "something could be done with [Russia] right now," Bartiromo asked him "what's the solution."
“Well, you have to work out a deal. They have to stop killing these people," Trump answered. They're killing all of these people, and they have to stop it, and they have to stop it now,” Trump replied.
“But they don't respect the United States and the United States is like, I don't know, they’re not doing anything about it. This is a - this is a holocaust. This is a horrible thing that's happening. You're witnessing and you're seeing it on television every night.”
Trump has repeatedly put out statements saying the conflict would never have happened if he was still president.
The former president has often complimented Russian strongman leader Vladimir Putin, and held a widely-criticized summit with the Russian leader in Helsinki during his presidency where he said he believed Russia had not interfered in U.S. elections with Putin standing by him.
During the interview, Trump hesitated to say whether he believed Ukraine should be afforded membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance, saying it is a decision that's going to have to be made.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called for his country to be admitted.
"Right now, it would be a lot easier to say yes than it would have been six months ago," Trump said of the possibility.
Trump also lauded Zelensky regarding his 2019 phone call with the Ukrainian leader during his interview with Bartiromo, saying he was "very impressed by him."
Trump was referring to a phone call that helped launched lawmakers' first impeachment inquiry against the former president, in which transcripts of the call showed him asking Zelensky if damaging material on Biden and his son, Hunter, could be dug up.
Trump calls the Russian invasion ‘a holocaust,’ urges Russia to stop fighting
Former President Trump called the Russian invasion into Ukraine “a holocaust” and urged Russia to stop fighting, a large shift in tone since last week when the former president praised Russian Pres…
printer
Well-Known Member
Trump: Biden, NATO 'Laid Down Welcome Mat' for Putin
As media continued to suggest former President Donald Trump has heaped too much praise on Vladimir Putin, Trump is shooting back, calling it a media distraction from the "welcome mat" laid out by the Biden administration and NATO.
"The RINOs, warmongers, and fake news continue to blatantly lie and misrepresent my remarks on Putin because they know this terrible war being waged against Ukraine would have never happened under my watch," Trump wrote Tuesday in a statement from his Save America PAC.
"They did absolutely nothing as Putin declared much of Ukraine an 'independent territory.'"
In his Saturday speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump called Putin "smart" and "savvy," but not to praise him, he said, as much as show Americans how "dumb" President Joe Biden, NATO, and world leaders are in allowing Putin to roll in on Ukraine.
"There should be no war waging now in Ukraine, and it is terrible for humanity that Biden, NATO, and the West have failed so terribly in allowing it to start," Trump's Tuesday statement added. "Instead of showing strength and toughness, they declared the global warming hoax as the #1 threat to global security, killed American energy independence, and then made Europe, the U.S., and the rest of the world dependent on Russian oil."
It was Biden's policies that allowed Putin the opportunity to move, Trump concluded.
"They laid down the welcome mat and gave Russia the opening, now Putin may be getting everything he wanted, with Ukraine and the rest of the world suffering the consequences," Trump wrote. "It's terrible, but this is what you get with Biden, the Democrats, and RINO warmongers!"
www.newsmax.com
As media continued to suggest former President Donald Trump has heaped too much praise on Vladimir Putin, Trump is shooting back, calling it a media distraction from the "welcome mat" laid out by the Biden administration and NATO.
"The RINOs, warmongers, and fake news continue to blatantly lie and misrepresent my remarks on Putin because they know this terrible war being waged against Ukraine would have never happened under my watch," Trump wrote Tuesday in a statement from his Save America PAC.
"They did absolutely nothing as Putin declared much of Ukraine an 'independent territory.'"
In his Saturday speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump called Putin "smart" and "savvy," but not to praise him, he said, as much as show Americans how "dumb" President Joe Biden, NATO, and world leaders are in allowing Putin to roll in on Ukraine.
"There should be no war waging now in Ukraine, and it is terrible for humanity that Biden, NATO, and the West have failed so terribly in allowing it to start," Trump's Tuesday statement added. "Instead of showing strength and toughness, they declared the global warming hoax as the #1 threat to global security, killed American energy independence, and then made Europe, the U.S., and the rest of the world dependent on Russian oil."
It was Biden's policies that allowed Putin the opportunity to move, Trump concluded.
"They laid down the welcome mat and gave Russia the opening, now Putin may be getting everything he wanted, with Ukraine and the rest of the world suffering the consequences," Trump wrote. "It's terrible, but this is what you get with Biden, the Democrats, and RINO warmongers!"
Trump: Biden, NATO 'Laid Down Welcome Mat' for Putin
As media continued to suggest former President Donald Trump has heaped too much praise on Vladimir Putin, Trump is shooting back, calling it a media distraction from the "welcome mat" laid out by the Biden administration and NATO.
printer
Well-Known Member
Trump says he believes China will invade Taiwan
Asked during an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo whether he thought an invasion would happen sooner rather than later, Trump said he did “because they're seeing how stupid the United States is run."
“They're seeing that our leaders are incompetent, and of course they're going to do — this is their time,” he said.
China has tacitly backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an event that has raised fears further about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan — which Beijing claims sovereignty over.
Trump, who was criticized during his presidency for being too cozy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has had an up-and-down relationship with China. In the final year of his presidency, U.S.-China relations hit a new low as the Trump administration blamed Beijing for the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, who is considering another run for the White House in 2024 and is the odds-on favorite to win the GOP nomination, has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration's policies.
In the Fox Business interview, he slammed the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, saying that the Chinese President Xi Jinping was taking cues from how the U.S. dealt with the situation.
“And he looks at what happened in Afghanistan, the way we pulled out,” Trump said.
“He saw the way that we left Afghanistan like a surrender and left $85 billion and death behind and left American citizens there that are still trying to get out. And he sees that, and this is his opportunity to do what he wants to do, which is ... he's wanted to do that, and China's wanted to do that for decades,” he later added.
A U.S. delegation led by former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mike Mullen is visiting Taiwan this week to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other Taiwanese officials to show their support for the island. The planned visit has drawn criticism from Beijing.
Taiwan’s commitment to President Biden’s campaign to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia — announcing it would remove some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system — is further raising the risk that Beijing will seek to forcefully assert itself over the island.
Beijing says it opposes the imposition of all unilateral sanctions in response to the U.S.-led campaign against Russia.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week tweeted that China “is waging a campaign of cognitive warfare against Taiwan seeking to sow doubt over the U.S. and E.U. and sap our will to defend. But Taiwan stays vigilant and knows who to side with. We condemn and sanction the aggressor and ‘Stand with Ukraine.’”
thehill.com
Asked during an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo whether he thought an invasion would happen sooner rather than later, Trump said he did “because they're seeing how stupid the United States is run."
“They're seeing that our leaders are incompetent, and of course they're going to do — this is their time,” he said.
China has tacitly backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an event that has raised fears further about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan — which Beijing claims sovereignty over.
Trump, who was criticized during his presidency for being too cozy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has had an up-and-down relationship with China. In the final year of his presidency, U.S.-China relations hit a new low as the Trump administration blamed Beijing for the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, who is considering another run for the White House in 2024 and is the odds-on favorite to win the GOP nomination, has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration's policies.
In the Fox Business interview, he slammed the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, saying that the Chinese President Xi Jinping was taking cues from how the U.S. dealt with the situation.
“And he looks at what happened in Afghanistan, the way we pulled out,” Trump said.
“He saw the way that we left Afghanistan like a surrender and left $85 billion and death behind and left American citizens there that are still trying to get out. And he sees that, and this is his opportunity to do what he wants to do, which is ... he's wanted to do that, and China's wanted to do that for decades,” he later added.
A U.S. delegation led by former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mike Mullen is visiting Taiwan this week to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other Taiwanese officials to show their support for the island. The planned visit has drawn criticism from Beijing.
Taiwan’s commitment to President Biden’s campaign to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia — announcing it would remove some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system — is further raising the risk that Beijing will seek to forcefully assert itself over the island.
Beijing says it opposes the imposition of all unilateral sanctions in response to the U.S.-led campaign against Russia.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week tweeted that China “is waging a campaign of cognitive warfare against Taiwan seeking to sow doubt over the U.S. and E.U. and sap our will to defend. But Taiwan stays vigilant and knows who to side with. We condemn and sanction the aggressor and ‘Stand with Ukraine.’”
Trump says he believes China will invade Taiwan
Former President Trump said on Wednesday that he believes China will invade Taiwan, saying he expected it to happen sooner rather than later.Asked during an interview with Fox Business ho…
thehill.com
hanimmal
Well-Known Member
Who gives a fuck what Trump thinks?Trump says he believes China will invade Taiwan
Asked during an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo whether he thought an invasion would happen sooner rather than later, Trump said he did “because they're seeing how stupid the United States is run."
“They're seeing that our leaders are incompetent, and of course they're going to do — this is their time,” he said.
China has tacitly backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an event that has raised fears further about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan — which Beijing claims sovereignty over.
Trump, who was criticized during his presidency for being too cozy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has had an up-and-down relationship with China. In the final year of his presidency, U.S.-China relations hit a new low as the Trump administration blamed Beijing for the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, who is considering another run for the White House in 2024 and is the odds-on favorite to win the GOP nomination, has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration's policies.
In the Fox Business interview, he slammed the Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, saying that the Chinese President Xi Jinping was taking cues from how the U.S. dealt with the situation.
“And he looks at what happened in Afghanistan, the way we pulled out,” Trump said.
“He saw the way that we left Afghanistan like a surrender and left $85 billion and death behind and left American citizens there that are still trying to get out. And he sees that, and this is his opportunity to do what he wants to do, which is ... he's wanted to do that, and China's wanted to do that for decades,” he later added.
A U.S. delegation led by former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mike Mullen is visiting Taiwan this week to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and other Taiwanese officials to show their support for the island. The planned visit has drawn criticism from Beijing.
Taiwan’s commitment to President Biden’s campaign to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia — announcing it would remove some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system — is further raising the risk that Beijing will seek to forcefully assert itself over the island.
Beijing says it opposes the imposition of all unilateral sanctions in response to the U.S.-led campaign against Russia.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week tweeted that China “is waging a campaign of cognitive warfare against Taiwan seeking to sow doubt over the U.S. and E.U. and sap our will to defend. But Taiwan stays vigilant and knows who to side with. We condemn and sanction the aggressor and ‘Stand with Ukraine.’”
Trump says he believes China will invade Taiwan
Former President Trump said on Wednesday that he believes China will invade Taiwan, saying he expected it to happen sooner rather than later.Asked during an interview with Fox Business ho…
printer
Well-Known Member
Half (ok, a little less than half) voted for him.
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
A “says he believes (fill in the blank)” thread might be fun, or simply frightening. Wanting to nuke a storm is seriously deluded.
hanimmal
Well-Known Member
And more than that voted for Biden, you would think that there would be the same if not more effort put in posting shit he said, but maybe from non propaganda pushing news-esque sites.
Shit Trump doesn't even get actual briefings anymore. What does he know that hasn't been fed to him by trolls?
printer
Well-Known Member
Trump knew shit when he was president. Knowing what is being fed to his trumpkins is not a bad thing to know in my opinion.