Source: NICHOLAS KAMM / Getty
So, Donnie Boy was reportedly furious that it was leaked to the Washington Post that his national security advisers had told him not to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election when they spoke by phone earlier that day, with the Post saying “DO NOT CONGRATULATE” had been written in all capital letters in his briefing materials.
The report came out after the news that Trump did in fact congratulate Putin when they spoke. Trump wants to know who leaked the information, since only a small group of staffers have access to the briefing materials and would have known what they said. CNN cited a source as saying it reinforces Trump’s long-held belief that there are people in his administration, particularly in the area of national security, who are actively working to undermine him.
Trump defended the call in tweets yesterday, saying former President Barack Obama congratulated Putin in 2012 after the Russian leader’s election win, and saying,
“Getting along with Russia is a good thing.”
He also tweeted that former President George W. Bush did not have the, quote, “smarts” to work with Putin, and that Obama and his first secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, quote, “didn’t have the energy or chemistry” with the Russian leader. Trump’s congratulations drew criticism from members of his own Republican party, including Senator John McCain, who said,
“An American president does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections.”
And Senator Charles Grassley told CNN,
“I wouldn’t have a conversation with a criminal.”
Trump just doesn’t listen.
