Donald Trump Gave Russia Leverage Over His Presidency

[RaleBulgarian]

It would have ruined Trump before the election but have no effect after? That makes little sense.

You’re right, and I didn’t say (or even suggest) that it would have no effect. There’s a big space between “no effect” and “total ruination”. After the election, Putin releasing embarrassing, but not illegal, information would have been yet another PR disaster, but without any legal justification Trump would still be sitting behind the Resolute Desk. Hope we’re clear now.

 

[SonOfDaedalus]

LOL. The compromising information used to be videos of Trump and golden showers with Russian prostitutes. Now you've moved on to building deals. Why don't you just accuse Trump of burying Jimmy Hoffa in Russia somewhere?

It was always about his business deals. Very few people thought anything would be found regarding his pee pee tape.

You really haven't been paying attention all this time? You haven't heard Democrats asking about Trump's business ties to Russia? Have you been living under a rock?

It has always been about Trump being compromised by Russians because of money laundering, secret loans, business deals or Hillary emails.

 

[HumblePi]

Only one problem...

Trump didn't lie.

Moving on...

 

[SonOfDaedalus]

You’re right, and I didn’t say (or even suggest) that it would have no effect. There’s a big space between “no effect” and “total ruination”. After the election, Putin releasing embarrassing, but not illegal, information would have been yet another PR disaster, but without any legal justification Trump would still be sitting behind the Resolute Desk. Hope we’re clear now.

I get your point but the extent of the political damage is all speculation. None of us know how a scandal will go. Trump's followers are extremely loyal. But if Trump was sure it would have no effect there would never have been a need to continue lying about it after he was president.

So, the fact that Trump and Cohen kept lying suggests that they were afraid of the political consequences of the Truth. Therefore, it's logical to infer that they were also afraid of the political consequences of Putin revealing the Truth. Agreed?

 

[lwf]

Witch hunts are done for political purposes.

Absolutely true. They are also illegal. And calling an investigation into a federal violation of the Logan act and obstruction of justice with probable cause led by a respected attorney with decades of experience is subversive and unpatriotic.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

So, the fact that Trump and Cohen kept lying suggests that they were afraid of the political consequences of the Truth. Therefore, it's logical to infer that they were also afraid of the political consequences of Putin revealing the Truth. Agreed?

Agreed. Of course Trump, and to a much lesser extent, Cohen, would have reason to be concerned. Especially before the election, when the consequences would be greatest.

 

[JustHanging]

Look! It's the new pee pee tape:roll:

It would certainly explain why Trump is so willing to be Putin's bottom boy.

Remember Helsinki, when Trump stood united with Putin and Russian interests, against the entire American intelligence community?

 

[SonOfDaedalus]

It would certainly explain why Trump is so willing to be Putin's bottom boy.

Remember Helsinki, when Trump stood united with Putin and Russian interests, against the entire American intelligence community?

Trumpkins need their memory refreshed ...



checkout the moment the reporter asks Putin if he has compromising information on president Trump. Now we know the answer was YES.

Any rational person would conclude that Trump is compromised. Putin has the power to expose him as a liar.

 

[OscarLevant]

Only one problem...

Trump didn't lie.

but you are

 

[OscarLevant]

The big deal that the "Well, it's not illegal" crowd is missing is that maybe lying to the American people is not illegal but doing so gave Vladamir Putin leverage on our president because Putin had the power to destroy Trump at any time.



Donald Trump Gave Russia Leverage Over His Presidency

I don't think the repubs on this forum can grasp how serious the situation is with Trump and his family. They are borderline traitors, Trump is certainly in impeachment territory.

Trump is going down. He won't make it to 2020. I'm almost certain. I recall how the watergate thing started, and gradually got worse, then one day,BOOM!! It's happening, though I don't think Trump will step down when McConnell finally asks him, and that will come, the potato will eventually get too hot. Trump will be impeached.

I think it's definitely going to happen now.

 

[JackA]

The big deal that the "Well, it's not illegal" crowd is missing is that maybe lying to the American people is not illegal but doing so gave Vladamir Putin leverage on our president because Putin had the power to destroy Trump at any time.



Donald Trump Gave Russia Leverage Over His Presidency

The eight words of your thread title are the nub of it.

 

[Irwin Corey]

Only one problem...

Trump didn't lie.

Moving on...

Well the would be a first and completely out of character. Evidence to the contrary says you're wrong.

 

[Irwin Corey]

Witch hunts are done for political purposes.

Yeah, but the Mueller investigation isn't a witch hunt, it's a WHICH hunt. So much crime … so little time.

 

[Acadia]

Putin didn't need a pee pee tape. Trump, by lying about his involvement with Russia, gave Putin kompromat.

This is very serious. Don't you care about your country? Is your loyalty to this man greater than your loyalty to our country?

You cannot deny that Putin had compromising information on Trump.

Supporting my country and supporting my President are synonymous. Never more so than right now.
Oh, and Putin having "compromising" info on Trump? Dear, do give SPECIFICS.

 

[Acadia]

It would certainly explain why Trump is so willing to be Putin's bottom boy.

Remember Helsinki, when Trump stood united with Putin and Russian interests, against the entire American intelligence community?

Post-hoc fallacy.

 

[Grokmaster]

The big deal that the "Well, it's not illegal" crowd is missing is that maybe lying to the American people is not illegal but doing so gave Vladamir Putin leverage on our president because Putin had the power to destroy Trump at any time.



Donald Trump Gave Russia Leverage Over His Presidency

Yes...NOT BUILDING A SKYSCRAPER absolutely did that, as did BOMBING the Russians in Syria, opening the Europoean gas market to American companiesm and enacting far tougher sanctions on Putin than former Pres. Mommy Pants More Flexible for Vlad EVER DID.



Let us know when Pres.Trump IGNORES RUSSIAN CRIMES IN AMEIRICA to HELP PUTIN GAIN CONTROL of 20% of our URANIUUM RESERVRS, and then ALLOWS THE TO ILLEGTALL EXPORT SOME OF IT....to WHO KNOWS WHERE....

 

[Acadia]

Yes...NOT BUILDING A SKYSCRAPER absolutely did that, as did BOMBING the Russians in Syria, opening the Europoean gas market to American companiesm and enacting far tougher sanctions on Putin than former Pres. Mommy Pants More Flexible for Vlad EVER DID.



Let us know when Pres.Trump IGNORES RUSSIAN CRIMES IN AMEIRICA to HELP PUTIN GAIN CONTROL of 20% of our URANIUUM RESERVRS, and then ALLOWS THE TO ILLEGTALL EXPORT SOME OF IT....to WHO KNOWS WHERE....

We have one President who supplicated himself to Putin, and that was Obama.

 

[SonOfDaedalus]

We have one President who supplicated himself to Putin, and that was Obama.

Trump has been praising Putin for years. He's defended Putin against critics. He said that Putin was a better leader than our president. He asked that Russia be returned to the G8 after they were expelled for annexing Crimea.

He signed a letter of intent to build a tower that would require Putin's approval. His team even considered offering Putin a bribe in the form of a penthouse.

He secretly worked to remove the sanctions Obama imposed after he got elected.

Your statement only proves just how totally irrational you are. It's sad that there are no rational Trump supporters left. But it makes sense, it's impossible for a rational person to defend this president.

The charging document reveals that on or about Dec. 29, Flynn asked Kislyak to "refrain from escalating the situation in response to sanctions that the United States had imposed on Russia that same day." The document also reveals that Kislyak told Flynn that Russia "had chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of his request." (See the full charging document here.)

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-...-guilty-plea-confirms-he-talked-russian-sanc/

 

[Acadia]

Trump has been praising Putin for years. He's defended Putin against critics. He said that Putin was a better leader than our president. He asked that Russia be returned to the G8 after they were expelled for annexing Crimea.

He signed a letter of intent to build a tower that would require Putin's approval. His team even considered offering Putin a bribe in the form of a penthouse.

He secretly worked to remove the sanctions Obama imposed after he got elected.

Your statement only proves just how totally irrational you are. It's sad that there are no rational Trump supporters left. But it makes sense, it's impossible for a rational person to defend this president.



https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-...-guilty-plea-confirms-he-talked-russian-sanc/

You are aware of the "carrot and stick" approach? Trump uses it with Putin and others. He has sanction more than Obama did in 8 years. Oh, and those facile sanctions Obama imposed after the rest of us found out what he knew-that Russia was trying to influence our election-were too little, too late.
Of course Trump reversed those sanctions. They were superficial and utterly meaningless.

 

[Tangmo]

Gen. McCaffrey devised and led the famous "Left Hook" maneuver in Desert Storm where he commanded the 24th Infantry Division (mechanized). McCaffrey later commanded US Southern Command which Marine Gen. retired John Kelly commanded afterward.


Retired four-star Army general: Trump, 'under the sway of Putin,' threatens national security

Then Maj. Gen. Barry McCaffrey in Operation Desert Storm, 1991.


A retired four-star Army general said that he thinks President Trump is a “serious threat to US national security” because the president "is refusing to protect vital US interests from active Russian attacks."

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey tweeted Friday that “it is apparent that he is for some unknown reason under the sway of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”

Reluctantly I have concluded that President Trump is a serious threat to US national security. He is refusing to protect vital US interests from active Russian attacks. It is apparent that he is for some unknown reason under the sway of Mr Putin.
— Barry R McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) March 16, 2018

I served in the Armed Forces for 32 years. At retirement, I was a four-star joint-theater commander. In my considered judgment, Trump is unqualified to be the president of the United States and fulfill the role of commander in chief of the 2.2 million men and women of the Armed Forces.

McCaffrey's remarks were echoed by retired United States Navy Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis replied: “I know the general well. I have a lot of regard for his opinions, he does not state them loosely.”

“In terms of the current situation with Russia, our president needs to understand that Vladimir Putin is no friend to the United States, that Russia is actively seeking to undermine our nation not only domestically but our foreign policy as well,” he added. “I agree with Gen. McCaffrey that our president does not spend enough time focused on the threat that is emanating from Russia today.”

Meanwhile, tensions between U.S. ally Britain and Russia have reached Cold War-era levels of frostiness.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...-putin-threat-us-national-security/434811002/


Gen. McCaffrey is the most decorated soldier to become a four-star general. He is respected throughout the armed forces and among his colleagues active duty and retired. The rupture between the CinC and the Pentagon is severe. It is unprecedented to the extent Trump openly backtracked.



Gen. McCaffrey on Trump Skipping Veterans Event: He Wanted to ‘Eat Cheeseburgers, Watch TV and Tweet’

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/gen-mcc...nted-to-eat-cheeseburgers-watch-tv-and-tweet/

 

[Moderate Right]

Yeah, but the Mueller investigation isn't a witch hunt, it's a WHICH hunt. So much crime … so little time.

The Mueller investigation was supposed to investigate Russian meddling in the election and obstruction of justice. They have returned zero in connection with the Trump campaign colluding with Russia to influence the election and with obstruction of justice. So, they keep on investigating and investigating and investigating until they can actually indict Trump for jay walking. That's the very definition of a witch hunt done for political purposes.