No, it wasn’t a surprise. But it still did come as something as a shock when a former President of the United States (again) blasted the man who defeated him in the last election before praising his country’s number one head of state enemy as a “genius…savy…peacekeeper.” When the world is on the brink of war.
But Donald Trump did that just which means it’s likely to be echoed on Fox News and in varying forms by some politicians. Here’s the exchange made on a right wing radio show:
“In the last 24 hours we know Russia has said that they are recognizing two breakaway regions of Ukraine, and now this White House is stating that this is an ‘invasion,’ ” host Buck Sexton said. “That’s a strong word. What went wrong here? What has the current occupant of the Oval Office done that he could have done differently?”
“Well, what went wrong was a rigged election,” Trump said, once again misrepresenting the results of the 2020 presidential contest. “What went wrong is a candidate that shouldn’t be there and a man that has no concept of what he’s do — ”
“In the last 24 hours we know Russia has said that they are recognizing two breakaway regions of Ukraine, and now this White House is stating that this is an ‘invasion,’ ” host Buck Sexton said. “That’s a strong word. What went wrong here? What has the current occupant of the Oval Office done that he could have done differently?”
“Well, what went wrong was a rigged election,” Trump said, once again misrepresenting the results of the 2020 presidential contest. “What went wrong is a candidate that shouldn’t be there and a man that has no concept of what he’s do — ”
“Here’s a guy that says, you know, ‘I’m gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent’ — he used the word ‘independent’ — ‘and we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna go in and we’re gonna help keep peace,’ ” Trump said. “You gotta say that’s pretty savvy. And you know what the response was from Biden? There was no response.”
No, it isn’t surprising. It was clear from Trump’s business history and his one-term in office that he considered Putin a best bud, perhaps even a role model in terms of Putin’s strenGth.
But it really was stunning coming from a former President who belonged to a party with a long history of Presidents who were check on Soviet/Russian ambitions. When it comes to Russia, that policy is oh, so 20th century among many in the GOP.
Reading #GOP tweets tonight, Republicans need to stop their trump-was-tough-on-Putin bullshit. The world is on the brink of war and you’re busy pushing out Putin’s propaganda? Put down that hammer & sickle and stand with US, not Russia. You’re an embarrassment to Reagan’s legacy.
— Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) February 22, 2022
He’s writing the Dem’s campaign commercials right now.
— Terry Banet (@tebsf) February 22, 2022
Why do American politicians feel the need to praise a dictator whose mission is to undermine US interests? What political benefit do they see? This is not isolated. A sitting US President did so repeatedly – and now several who’d like to succeed him are doing the same. https://t.co/pNQ80oSO5e
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) February 22, 2022
On the day that President Biden announced major sanctions against Putin's Russia, Donald Trump praised Putin's actions and attacked Biden. This is unprecedented from a former American president. https://t.co/37n4ILXFHc
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) February 22, 2022
Donald Trump just called Putin's invasion of Ukraine 'genius' and 'very savvy' and referred to him as a 'peacekeeper.'
What a traitor.
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) February 22, 2022
Donald Trump’s Republican Party. pic.twitter.com/KSJqBK44ad
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) February 22, 2022
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.