Years ago, some liberals on social media suggested President Donald Trump might have ties to Russia or even be influenced by them. After all, Vladimir Putin seems to hold a certain degree of sway over him. Back then, I didn’t take those theories seriously. But today, I think they are legitimate.
So, why is Trump so in awe of Putin? He seems to adore the Russian autocrat much like a 5th-grade middle school quarterback would worship Patrick Mahomes.
And if Putin were a female, Trump would come across like he had the biggest crush on her. He’s giddy with the mere mention of the Russian autocrat.
It’s so odd, isn’t it?
One can only imagine what President Reagan would have said about Trump’s actions.
Lately, critics have suggested that Trump’s continuous praise for Putin has prompted fears that he would help Russia achieve a favorable peace deal by halting aid to Ukraine if re-elected. In fact, some analysts see Trump’s actions as potentially granting Putin a symbolic victory and restoring Moscow’s status as a superpower.
Shocking… NOT!
Is Trump a Russian asset?
My guess is no, but I say that gingerly. Surely, he was thoroughly investigated before becoming president in 2016. Or was he? Do the FBI and CIA examine someone’s background before that person becomes commander-in-chief? With how easily attainable large sums of information are these days, I’d like to think the FBI / CIA, in 2016, would have found something in his past to suggest he’s a plant.
Second, a Russian asset wouldn’t be so obvious. She or he would probably be more clandestine in advancing a pro-Russian agenda. If you’re a Russian asset, the last thing you’d want is to plant that idea in the minds of your critics, lest they go snooping.
Does Putin have dirt on Trump?
Consider this as the second most plausible scenario. Imagine if Putin possesses footage of Trump involved with a group of both female and male prostitutes at a sex party abroad, potentially even in Russia. Maybe Trump is being blackmailed by Putin? A lot of Trump’s dirty laundry has already been exposed so he would have to have something earth-shattering to convince Trump, a strong personality, to be his puppet.
Does Trump want to be like Putin?
The most plausible explanation for Trump’s overly-favorable stance toward Putin is that Trump idolizes him and wants to be just like him. The Russian president wields far more power in Russia than most U.S. presidents could have ever dreamed of or would ever want. Putin is a dictator of sorts and the strong silent type. He’s feared more than liked, his decisions are rarely, if ever, questioned, and his word is law in Russia.
Moreover, his enemies seem to mysteriously die or have brushes with death. Why is that? It’s such an unusual “coincidence.” Putin has had the motive, means, and opportunity to kill his enemies but no one in Russia investigates him for foul play. It’s as if Putin winks at the public every time one of his critics is poisoned or (cough, cough) commits suicide.
Now that’s power.
… And what about Trump’s wannabe cozy friendship with Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s hardline dictator who is hostile toward America?
So weird.
Angela Merkel, the former German Chancellor, criticized Donald Trump’s apparent admiration for authoritarian leaders in her recent memoir and interviews. Merkel observed that Trump exhibited a “fascination with the sheer power” of dictators like Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
She noted that Trump seemed to dream of overriding parliamentary bodies, viewing them as obstacles to his decision-making.
More than likely, Trump reveres Vladimir Putin because the Russian president was able to turn a democratic presidency into a quasi-dictatorship. Boris Yeltsin, Putin’s predecessor, wasn’t a dictator – And the Russian presidency wasn’t intended to be a dictatorship. But this Russian president is a soft dictator if not a full-fledged authoritarian.
Trump seems to have no interest in respecting the Constitution or the rule of United States law. We saw that after the 2020 Presidential Election, most notably on January 6, 2021. And it appears we’ll see his disdain for American principles throughout his second term.
Do you think Trump is a Russian plant or a selfish, power-hungry authoritarian wannabe?
Regardless, Trump is a threat to American democracy and it’ll take Congress, the Courts, and the media, as well as a few patriotic, courageous conservatives, to thwart him.