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A Timeline of Trump's acts of accommodation to Russia while US intelligence agencies reported Putin was paying militants to kill American soldiers (February-June 2020)
from @jgeltzer @DaniSchulkin and me.
#RussianBounty https://www.justsecurity.org/71182/the-baseline-how-a-functional-executive-would-have-handled-the-russian-bounty-operation/
A Timeline of Trump's acts of accommodation to Russia while US intelligence agencies reported Putin was paying militants to kill American soldiers (February-June 2020)
from @jgeltzer @DaniSchulkin and me.
#RussianBounty https://www.justsecurity.org/71182/the-baseline-how-a-functional-executive-would-have-handled-the-russian-bounty-operation/
Feb. 20, 2020:
Trump removes acting DNI Maguire.
Why? Reportedly due in part to an intelligence briefing which told lawmakers that Putin wants Trump to be reelected.
( @pbump reporting) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/02/21/one-incident-series-realities-about-trumps-presidency-seem-be-confirmed/
Trump removes acting DNI Maguire.
Why? Reportedly due in part to an intelligence briefing which told lawmakers that Putin wants Trump to be reelected.
( @pbump reporting) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/02/21/one-incident-series-realities-about-trumps-presidency-seem-be-confirmed/
Feb. 28, 2020
Trump announces he’ll nominate Rep. Ratcliffe as the next DNI.
how does Ratcliffe figure in?
During impeachment hearing, he stated it was acceptable for a president “to invite a foreign government to become involved in an election involving a political opponent.”
Trump announces he’ll nominate Rep. Ratcliffe as the next DNI.
how does Ratcliffe figure in?
During impeachment hearing, he stated it was acceptable for a president “to invite a foreign government to become involved in an election involving a political opponent.”
March 16, 2020
DOJ drops a two-year investigation into a Russian company (Concord Management) alleged to have interfered with the 2016 presidential election.
The original indictment referred to allied IRA’s calling the operations “information warfare against the United States.”
DOJ drops a two-year investigation into a Russian company (Concord Management) alleged to have interfered with the 2016 presidential election.
The original indictment referred to allied IRA’s calling the operations “information warfare against the United States.”
March 30, 2020: Trump phone call with Putin
The two leaders agree to continue talking on a “personal level,” per the Kremlin’s readout. Trump tells Fox & Friends of the call: “They love to be able to do trade with our country…We should get along with all countries if possible.”
The two leaders agree to continue talking on a “personal level,” per the Kremlin’s readout. Trump tells Fox & Friends of the call: “They love to be able to do trade with our country…We should get along with all countries if possible.”
April 1 (Fools Day)
Handing Putin a major public relations victory, Russia sends medical supplies to US.
Trump calls it “very nice."
“For the Kremlin, the shipment was a propaganda coup,” writes the NYT Moscow correspondent @antontroian. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/world/europe/coronavirus-us-russia-aid.html
Handing Putin a major public relations victory, Russia sends medical supplies to US.
Trump calls it “very nice."
“For the Kremlin, the shipment was a propaganda coup,” writes the NYT Moscow correspondent @antontroian. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/world/europe/coronavirus-us-russia-aid.html
Extra note on that April Fools Day stunt.
A couple days later, it's revealed that the Russian manufacturer of the ventilators is a company under U.S. sanctions—adding to the PR windfall for Putin.
( @mattb0401 @Abs_NBC reporting) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/firm-under-sanctions-made-russian-ventilators-shipped-u-s-pictures-n1175806
A couple days later, it's revealed that the Russian manufacturer of the ventilators is a company under U.S. sanctions—adding to the PR windfall for Putin.
( @mattb0401 @Abs_NBC reporting) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/firm-under-sanctions-made-russian-ventilators-shipped-u-s-pictures-n1175806
April 9: Trump speaks to Putin
April 10: Trump speaks to Putin
April 12: Trump speaks to Putin
May 7: Trump speaks to President Putin and tells reporters in a White House press conference, it was "a very nice call."
April 10: Trump speaks to Putin
April 12: Trump speaks to Putin
May 7: Trump speaks to President Putin and tells reporters in a White House press conference, it was "a very nice call."
May 30, 2020:
Trump postpones the G7 summit and calls for Russia to join the next meeting in September, inviting Putin to the United States for a friendly visit.
United States' closest allies publicly oppose the invitation.
Trump postpones the G7 summit and calls for Russia to join the next meeting in September, inviting Putin to the United States for a friendly visit.
United States' closest allies publicly oppose the invitation.
June 1, 2020:
Trump calls Putin to discuss “progress towards convening the G7,” among other matters.
According to the Kremlin, Trump initiates the call and personally invites Putin to attend the G7 gathering in the fall.
Trump calls Putin to discuss “progress towards convening the G7,” among other matters.
According to the Kremlin, Trump initiates the call and personally invites Putin to attend the G7 gathering in the fall.
June 6, 2020:
In a surprise statement, Trump announces plan to withdraw 9,500 US troops from Germany by September.
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg confirms that Trump did not inform the alliance beforehand.
( @herszenhorn reporting) https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/16/after-blindsiding-allies-us-gives-no-details-on-trumps-troop-plan-323143
In a surprise statement, Trump announces plan to withdraw 9,500 US troops from Germany by September.
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg confirms that Trump did not inform the alliance beforehand.
( @herszenhorn reporting) https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/16/after-blindsiding-allies-us-gives-no-details-on-trumps-troop-plan-323143
June 19, 2020:
In an interview with @axios's @jonathanvswan, Trump says he would consider meeting with Russian-backed Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and suggests that he lacks confidence in Juan Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. https://www.axios.com/trump-venezuela-guaido-maduro-ea665367-b088-4900-8d73-c8fb50d96845.html
In an interview with @axios's @jonathanvswan, Trump says he would consider meeting with Russian-backed Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and suggests that he lacks confidence in Juan Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. https://www.axios.com/trump-venezuela-guaido-maduro-ea665367-b088-4900-8d73-c8fb50d96845.html
On that Venezuela policy shift.
Note how @AmbJohnBolton's book describes Putin whispering in Trump's ear about Guaidó
"In a way guaranteed to appeal to Trump, Putin characterized Guaidó as someone who proclaimed himself, but without real support, sort of like Hillary Clinton…"
Note how @AmbJohnBolton's book describes Putin whispering in Trump's ear about Guaidó
"In a way guaranteed to appeal to Trump, Putin characterized Guaidó as someone who proclaimed himself, but without real support, sort of like Hillary Clinton…"
It's not simply that Trump has done nothing to respond to Russia.
Trump engaged in a concerted effort of appeasement toward Russia and aggrandizement of Putin since the reported #RussianBounty-President's Daily Brief on Feb. 27, 2020.
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Trump engaged in a concerted effort of appeasement toward Russia and aggrandizement of Putin since the reported #RussianBounty-President's Daily Brief on Feb. 27, 2020.
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