Donald Trump won’t be transparent about his possible connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he refuses to answer whether he has spoken to him since his election.
As tensions between America and Russia flair up, many citizens are concerned that incoming President Trump has been open about his admiration for Putin. While the majority of the world has been condemning Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, Trump and his followers remain sympathetic to the country. On multiple occasions, the president-elect appeared to praise the invasion, insisting it was an incredibly “smart” and “savvy” move on Putin’s part. Much of MAGA has followed Trump’s lead and begun to display unhinged hatred of Ukraine while becoming Russia apologists and sympathizers. However, while MAGA is fawning over Putin, Russia recently warned its citizens not to travel to America, claiming they’ll be “hunted” by U.S. authorities as tensions between the countries threaten to boil over.
Tensions have been running high over Ukraine as America continues supporting the country against Russia’s unprovoked attack. Trump, though, has threatened to pull U.S. aid to Ukraine. While he claimed that he would end the Russo-Ukrainian War, he was suspiciously cagey about the details, with many fearing he might push for a solution that would be more favorable to Russia, such as having Ukraine cede territory. Given Trump’s concerning comments about Russia and Ukraine and the fact that U.S. and Russian relations are in a precarious state, one would hope the incoming president wouldn’t be secretly communicating with Putin. Unfortunately, Trump can’t give Americans that assurance.
Donald Trump avoids questions about Vladimir Putin
During a recent press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump was pressed about foreign policy. However, he notably failed to dispel any concerns or outline a plan. Instead, he dodged questions and went on a tangent about his real estate development company. At one point, he was asked, “Have you spoken to President Putin since your election?” The question was a simple yes-or-no question, but Trump chose not to answer it at all, responding, “I’m not going to comment on the Putin question.”
Some took Trump’s caginess about the question as a sign that he is in communication with Putin. It’s hard to understand why he’d refuse to answer unless the answer is yes, or he was worried about disappointing the Putin superfans in MAGA by saying no. His refusal to answer is especially concerning, as his communication with Putin could actually be illegal under the Logan Act. Concerns over his potential illegal communication with the Russian president arose in October when journalist Bob Woodward claimed that Trump and Putin had “as many as seven” conversations since 2021. Under the Logan Act, though, unauthorized American citizens are not allowed to engage in negotiations or diplomacy outside the government.
Meanwhile, Trump is not yet president and, depending on the content of their conversation, could still be violating the Logan Act by secretly communicating with Putin. Peace between the nations is already precarious, and Trump, unbeknownst to the Biden administration, could be trying to engage in diplomacy with Putin. Given the lack of transparency, it’s impossible to know the purpose of these potential communications, but the possibility that he’s undermining U.S. foreign policies exists. If he’s not communicating with Putin or is communicating but in a harmless manner, why wouldn’t he say it? America should be deeply concerned that it has an incoming president who will not be open and honest about his connections with America’s adversaries.
Published: Dec 18, 2024 11:22 am