Republicans denounce ‘thug’ Putin after Trump defense
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watched the Palm Beach Central High School Band as they played for their arrival at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Sunday. The Trumps are attending a Super Bowl party at the club.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watched the Palm Beach Central High School Band as they played for their arrival at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Sunday. The Trumps are attending a Super Bowl party at the club.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. >> President Donald Trump has long expressed a desire for improved relations with Moscow, but his latest comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. are leading some fellow Republicans to take a step back from the president — on this issue at least.
Told by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly during an interview that the Russian leader is “a killer,” Trump said the U.S. has killers, too.
“What do you think? Our country’s so innocent?” Trump said during the taped interview broadcast during Sunday’s Super Bowl pregame show.
Trump has praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.
During Putin’s years in power, a number of prominent Russian opposition figures and journalists have been killed.
Trump says in the interview that he respects a lot of people, including Putin “but that doesn’t mean I’m going to get along with him. He’s a leader of his country. I say it’s better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world — that’s a good thing,” Trump said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. “Will I get along with him? I have no idea.”
O’Reilly then said about Putin: “But he’s a killer, though. Putin’s a killer.”
Trump responded: “There are a lot of killers. We’ve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country’s so innocent?”
When O’Reilly says he doesn’t know any U.S. government leaders who are killers, Trump said “take a look at what we’ve done, too. We’ve made a lot of mistakes” and then he referenced the Iraq war.
The Kremlin voiced anger over O’Reilly’s characterization.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, refused to comment on Trump’s reply but lashed out at Fox, calling O’Reilly’s remarks “unacceptable and offensive.”
“We would like to receive an apology to the president from this respected organization,” Peskov told reporters today, referring to Fox News.
At home, Republicans and Democrats took exception to Trump’s comparison of Russia and the U.S.
“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 Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told CNN’s “State of the Union. “The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I don’t think there’s any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does.”
Added Sen. Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, one of Trump’s Republican critics: “There is no moral equivalency between the United States of America, the greatest freedom-loving nation in the history of the world, and the murderous thugs that are in Putin’s defense of his cronyism.
O’Reilly also asked Trump to back up his claim that some 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the election. Trump didn’t answer directly, but shifted to assert that immigrants in the U.S. illegally and dead people are on the voter rolls.
“It’s really a bad situation, it’s really bad,” Trump said.
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the Nov. 8 election. Trump won the Electoral College vote but lost the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes to Clinton.
Trump recently announced on Twitter that he would call for a “major investigation” into voter fraud. He said during the Fox News interview that he will set up a commission to be headed by Vice President Mike Pence and “we’re going to look at it very, very carefully.”
Asked earlier about Trump’s promised investigation, McConnell said he saw no federal role because states historically have handled voter fraud investigations. “I don’t think we ought to spend any federal money investigating that,” he said on CNN.
On other issues, Trump said in the interview that:
— California’s consideration of legislation to become a statewide sanctuary for people living in the country illegally is “ridiculous.” He suggested withholding federal funding as a possible punishment.
— Plans to enact a complete replacement for the Affordable Care Act could slip into next year. “I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year.”
— Living in the White House is “a surreal experience in a certain way, but you have to get over it, because there’s so much work to be done.”
76 responses to “Republicans denounce ‘thug’ Putin after Trump defense”
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Trump is tied economically to Russian investors. But that said, he was not wrong to question R’Reilly’s moronic questions regarding Russia which is a great country and civilization. Trump was right to say that the USA is not itself innocent. No country is. Bush sent hundreds of thousands to their death for no reason at all. in the phony and illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Trump was trying to say that Putin is the President of Russia, and he has to respect and treat Putin as the representative of the people of Russia, regardless of his individual “thug” status. For example, if you have high level meetings with the likes of Assad or Kim Jong, you don’t treat them like murderers.
so, why didn’t he say that? Is it just like the bowling green massacre? Or just another alternative fact?
I saw the interview. It was the usual fast paced back and forth between Trump and the reporters, and sometimes, even Trumps powers of articulation comes a little short. It seemed to be one of those “I should have said” moments that Trump would like to do over.
Oh, so you’re saying the President can’t think on his feet quick enough?
Trump should have stayed with reality TV. He could show Arnold how to keep up ratings. That’d be something to be proud of.
nomu, that fast paced back and forth is called EDITING.
It’s like watching Obama in an interview, you can see him carefully choosing his words, yet sometimes he still doesn’t give the perfect non regrettable wish-I-could-do-that-over response. Trump’s style is more fast and loose so he’s going to more often have those moments.
Nomu, fast and loose is good for reality tv, not the president.
The multiculturalists who want to make it about racism and xenophobia and we are a country of immigrants bla bla, as well as those who think it is just about ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ simply don’t exist on the necessary intellectual plane to address the big threat…
Sarge, I’ll bite, what big threat? Question, are you a Putin fan?
Nomu is a trumpf parrot. ” Well this is what Trump meant”, lol.
At least ten prominent Russian political dissidents and journalists have been murdered by the Russian Government on Putin’s orders in recent years. Thankfully, the U.S. Government doesn’t behave like this, at least not yet. Trump seems to think this is acceptable behavior for a government. He has insulted all Americans by claiming a false equivalency between Russia and America. Trump owes the American people an apology for his vile statement.
Let’s hope Trump doesn’t follow Putin’s example and dispose of journalists who deliver “fake news.” Trump’s definition of fake news is anything that isn’t absolutely complimentary of him.
Unlike obama who demonized those of us who get our news from Fox, eh? No, The Incompetent One NEVER did that. The Liberal Media is a joke. They have NO credibility with me. They blew it 9 years ago constantly grandstanding for their preferred candidate. Apparently, they haven’t learned their lesson and continue to do so. The Sore Losers care not about the future of this country. All they care about is Obstructionism. I see better behavior from 2 year olds who haven’t gotten their way.
Ah, Carang…it was Fox reporter O’Reilly (you know from the same station you claim is so righteous) that brought this up, and we also have quotes from the McConnell…so, can you please tell us how this is the liberal media?
Putin has short man’s disease. Wouldnt be surprised if he is driving around Russia in an oversized truck.
“Hundreds of thousands to their death”? Your statement is nearly as Phony as the ex-Phony-in-Chief himself, barack hussein obama. Get a clue.
Carang, you are nut case, like Duterte
TRUMPettes: The media lies. Our Dear Trumpf does not lie. All who speak against him are all liars just like that Hillary. All heil Trumpf!
Trump is Correct! “What do you think? Our Country’s is so innocent ? ”
I don’t know what the Republicans are grumbling about.Are they afraid Trump will succeed in bringing about Peace with Vladimir Putin?
We have this hostility with Russia today,because of them, these “Career Politicians”.
When do we draw the line and compromise and heal this uneasy relation with the Russian people? Reagan did it!
IMHO……Calling a world leader names is not the good way to go.
I trust President Trump’s instincts verses Bill Oreily’s or even our career politicians(any Day) when it comes to the Russians and Vladimir Putin. At least President Trump will not take “The Low Road” by calling Putin a “Thug or a”Killer”. He’s open to options and would like to see for himself,if he can Normalize any type of relations with the Russian people. Seems reasonable to me! IMUA!
Please don’t use Imua here…President Trump says that this is the US, we speak English. So, do you agree with Trump, do you respect Putin too?
See this is what I mean. Liberals have nothing but resort to name calling and posting their nonsensical comments.”Please don’t Imua here”.However ,may I point out to AD1 English is NOT the Official language of the US or “here”.
However, Hawaiian is the official language among Hawaiians,something they will never understand.
Transplants! acting like they know what Hawaiian is. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Even though, up to their neck and sinking? They continue spouting silly stuff,which makes sense to only them. They have LOST a major election and live in this fabricated world,otherwise known as “La La” Land”.
IRT Cheeesy,same could be said for the US invading Hawaii and overthrowing Queen lilio. Right? Oh yes”Career Politicians had everything to do with the Over throw.Check it out yourself,should you dare. Again Name Calling does not help in diplomacy……never has.
Yep!
Typical “MO” with them (Liberals) there is NO”Compromise”,it’s only Hate Divide,Disruptors, Anarchist,Protesters, Destruction,Sorelosers and my fav…..”It’s my Way or the Highway”. Yep Obama did a good job on their minds.Baaaaaaaaaaah,baaaaaaaaaaah. IMUA
See you don’t even know the people you support. Trump said, “This is a country, where we speak english, not spanish.”
Oh, yeah and he directed the removal of the Spanish version of the white house website…so…
still sinking huh? ad1
Moi, was my comment wrong? You said, “english is not the official language.” Yet, your president doesn’t seem to understand that, correct?
We have this hostility with Russia because Russia does things like invade and annex Crimea from Ukraine, they provide troops and material support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, they provide air cover for Assad in Syria and kill civilians with their airstrikes, and do their fair share of hacking. This has nothing to do with “career politicians” it has everything to do with a thug expanding his sphere of influence through force.
The Crimea is historically part of Russia, it has been for hundreds of years, the people there are mostly Russian.
They wanted to go back to being part of Russia.
It was only part of the Ukraine because they were all once part of the USSR, which was run by Russia.
Syria is a country of minorities that fight with each other. Assad belongs to one of them and the separatist rebels belong to another. They kill civilians back and forth to the extent that they have the power to do it.
As trump would say WRONG MR CRICKET. Putin invaded another country it do not belong to Russia.
You don’t sound like an American you sound like you work for Putin. WAKE UP!
Cricket is right!
What is “American”? We are ALL Americans,it’s just that the US has been taken hostage by this liberal mindset.And you are being led. Baaaaaaaaaaaaah, baaaaaaaaaaa! Wide Awake!
Stop changing the subject. Learn how to read, be honest with yourself.
Trump is being compromised and blackmailed by Putin. Putin’s Intelligence and cyber warfare agencies, not only hacked the Democratic National Committee, they have been hacking our nation for decades, and Trump and the Republicans are no exception to these hacks. Putin has a lot of damaging information about Trump, his businesses, his investments and his personal affairs, which would completely annihilate Trump’s reputation and Presidency. Putin is using Trump to advance Putin’s and Russian oil and gas interests.
Trump is terrified of Putin and the Russian FSB, and does not want to upset Putin by saying anything derogatory about Putin. Putin is now testing Trump by this latest Russian military incursion Crimea, to see whether Trump is on Putin’s side. Putin main interest is to have Trump lift those oil trade sanctions against Russia after Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea. The Russian economy went into a tailspin and the ruble lost half of it’s value after the sanctions were placed. Oil exports are the main props of the Russian economy, one of the reasons Trump has Rex Tillerson of Exxon Mobil our Secretary of State. Rex was awarded the “Order of Friendship” by Putin, for a $500 billion oil and gas development deal between Exxon Mobil and Putin to provide oil & gas services to develop Russian oil and gas fields in the Russian Arctic, the offshore Russian Arctic and Siberia. This is Trump making a great deal and trillions in profits for himself, Putin, the Russians and Exxon Mobil. Then, after gutting the Environmental Protection Agency, Trump, Exxon Mobil, Russian oil giant Rosneft, and all the oil and gas corporations have carte blanche to sell as much of their oil and gas without any environmental regulations.
MoiLee, since you love Putin so much, go to Russia
I like the photo. #2 shows melania going huh? And trump with that W TF face.lol.
“the greatest freedom-loving nation in the history of the world”
Well, there is also the Canadians, and the British, and the Scots (who started the whole thing in 1329) etc.
It is statements like this that make us look a little arrogant.
oops 1320 – The Treaty of Arbroath
freedom loving goes back to Athenian Greece, 600 to 500 BC, where the concept of Democracy was born. Each male citizen an equal voice in their City-State of Athens. Tyrants, strongmen, dictators, oligarchs, priests, no longer ruled and dominated the Athenians. Our very concepts and principles of Democracy, the freedom of thought, speech, the press, equality, liberty, were born in the Athenian cradle of Western Democratic Civilization. It was the Golden Age of Greece, when great advances in Philosophy, Politics, Science, Mathmatics and the Arts occurred and flourished.
“Trump has praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.”
In other words, they got him in, so he owes them big time. How big???
“During Putin’s years in power, a number of prominent Russian opposition figures and journalists have been killed.”
Ehh, should the nice people at CNN be worried? I’m not saying that Donald would actually “off” journalists who don’t paint him in a flattering light….but he is a big fan of waterboarding. Just saying…
Have you seen one of trump’s latest tweets? He called negative polls about him by the alphabet news agencies “fake news.” He is sooooo unbalanced.
“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 Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told CNN’s “State of the Union.
So they have a lot in common!
I remember as a child being taught that the Soviets (meaning Russians) were the enemies of American freedom and democracy. Donald Trump has seemingly brainwashed his believers into accepting the current Russian autocracy as a desirable ally. Russia is an existential threat to humanity. How can any red-blooded conservative accept Putin as a partner? Kool-aid anyone?
Its, GOOOOOO Aid.
She likes light blue – me too.
Trump is absolutely right. Our country and leaders are not innocent of the kind of wrongdoing that some accuse Putin of doing.
There have been accusations made against Putin but no evidence proving his involvement and guilt. He has been judged guilty largely on circumstantial evidence.
To be sure, Putin is a tough guy and is the real deal who started out as a street tough who caught the attention of the local KGB agents in St Petersburg where he grew up and not a wannabe like Obama, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush, Soros, Wolfowitz, Libby,
Gainey, Perle, Abrams, and guys like that.
I would agree that we are not innocents either. But, if you murder someone, and I murder someone, doesn’t that make us both murderers?
Real deal? What point are you trying to make? That a tough upbringing makes it okay to commit crimes against humanity, or even political crimes?
His point is: fiveo voted for Trump and will stand by and defend his man no matter what, fiveo can never be wrong so he will spin whatever Trump says to validate his vote…#MAGA
IRT: jusris, Sound like something the Democrats and its left wing media would do, takes what President Trump says and spins it to discredit him. President Trump won and the country will be better because of it,
Davcon, can you please give us some examples of the spin..not disagreeing, but if you do that at least we can debate..
IRT davcon: So do you also agree that Trumpers do the same thing??? or Is it exclusive to Democrats??? #MAGA
By real deal, I mean someone who is really as tough and ruthless as he appears, and not acting or playing the role.
Saddam Hussein comes to mind as the real deal prototype of a guy who came up living a very tough life and found he had
a choice, be poor and be nothing or be somebody. Being intelligent and a good reader of people helped in addition to being fearless
and determined.
Putin’s background is similar and he also is fearless and determined. A mafia don the type portrayed by Marlon Brando in the God Father
would be another example of what I mean by the real deal.
Fiveo, thanks for the explanation. So, you would rather our leaders, Trump, Obama and Bush mimic those like Hussein or Putin? What about Papa Doc or Idi Amin? Is that what we should aspire to?
Ad1, perhaps Teddy Roosevelt? Or Reagan? Churchill? Examples of leaders that meant what they said, and, given the challenges and times they faced, were successful.
Backing up commitments isn’t a characteristic exclusive to evil leaders, and one usually found in great ones.
Kone, I don’t disagree with your examples, but the ones cited by fiveo certainly are questionable. And, maybe I’m inferring too much, but when you read his (or her) comment, doesn’t it seem that Hussein and Putin are positive examples?
So, along those lines, is Putin one of those positive examples you cite?
In that sense I’d agree with you. Hussein demonstrated verifiable ruthlessness, and certainly deserves no admiration. Putin has a myriad of accusations, yes, and holds a tight grip on a government that differs dramatically from ours. Considering the requirements of political longevity in Russia as compared to the US, his operational standards by necessity differ as well, seemingly to excess at times.
Perhaps separating specific characteristics and encouraging emulation might have been a more palatable approach.
Sure, I don’t like the guy but ties to war crimes, alleged murders, etc. notwithstanding, I’m finding it strange that elected officials would go on record calling the leader of a major world power something like “thug.”
Welcome to the post-diplomatic world I guess.
Which recent POTUS murdered someone? Would Trump be the first POTUS to send a journalist to be waterboarded because he doesn’t like how they report the real facts?
Wow, just think how different our society would be if our “street toughs” studied languages and went to law school? I keep telling you guys, stop making up stuff that is one-click checkable…
“Born in Saint Petersburg (then known as Leningrad), Putin studied German in high school and speaks the language fluently. He then studied law at the Leningrad State University, graduating in 1975”
http://www.businessinsider.com/7-stories-of-putins-thuggish-behaviour-2013-6
Sometimes it takes more than one click..
Verifiable? Who knows, but apparently in character.
fiveo, is a commie infiltrator and mole
Liberals? I and Republicans and conservatives like O’Reilly thought Trump would be tough against Russia for spitting in our face by hacking and invading the Ukraine after Trump’s UN ambassador blasted Russia for its action in the Ukraine? The Republicans said Obama was kissing up to Putin like a fool. Putin is playing Trump– his apologist– for a fool. So is Netanyahu– Trump says settlements ok, then changes his mind– no settlements– so now Netanyahu building 3-5 thousand new homes in new areas for settlements. What a fool– listen to the generals instead of Bannon Mr. President.. they know what they are talking about– not you and Bannon.
So that’s why the Russians helped Trump win the election, because they knew they could toy with him….and not because they’re nice people who want to help us? O-M-G!
Trump says it like it is. We are different than Putin we just cover it up better. Look into the mysterious deaths surrounding the Clintons.
So who is America to lecture other countries on anything then??? #MAGA
Trump says whatevah that pops into his mind. He is a fool and a clown, and anyone who believes whatever Trump and his surrogates say, are fools themselves. Nothing but falsehoods, fake news, insults, character assassination, conspiracy theories, alternative facts/fictions, lies, are their stock in trade.
Davcon, did you mean “we aren’t different”?
When’s melania going to DC? She always meet up in FL.
Their setting up a room in the White House for her boyfriend first…#MAGA
Trump does not want Melania near the White House. He wants to be free to work on his next conquest and wife No. 4
HALLIE JACKSON, MSNBC: President Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin is really back in the headlines in a big way. You heard what he said about Putin and Bill O’Reilly’s comments that Putin is a killer, something of course that Vladimir Putin has denied. How concerned are you about not just with what the president is saying but the relationship that that means the U.S. is going to have with Russia, where that’s going to go from here?
RET. GEN. BARRY McCAFFREY: Hallie, I’m actually incredulous that the president would make a statement like that. One could argue that’s the most anti-American statement ever made by the President of the United States, to confuse American values with Putin, who is running a criminal oligarchy, who kills people abroad and at home, who imprisons journalists and takes away business property, who shares it with his former KGB agents, who invades and seizes Crimea in eastern Ukraine, this is an astonishing state of affairs. It’s hard to know what to think about it.
What to think? That Trump is insane.
Putin is the devil. He takes what does not belong to him and call it gift. He took Robert Kraft super bowl ring and never gave it back. Putin reminds me of some of the local Japanese who loves to steal, kill, and destroy.
This is yesterday’s news.