In Friday Call, Trump Plays Submissive to Vladimir Putin on Host of Issues

Donald Trump had a performance review with the boss, today.

I’m kidding!

Maybe.

In a call that lasted over an hour, and was the first known communication since the end of the Russia probe, the president discussed a wide variety of topics with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Among topics discussed were the situation in Venezuela, North Korea, and “briefly” about the results of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report into possible conspiracy and obstruction by the Trump campaign team, as it pertains to Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.

Venezuela is currently in upheaval, with the citizens who have been left suffering under the crushing failure of socialism rising up to demand the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Former National Assembly leader, Juan Guaidó was named acting president back in January of this year, but Maduro is refusing to go.

Earlier this week, military forces still loyal to Maduro ran over protesters in the streets with armored vehicles.

In other instances, food and medical aid transported into the region has been confiscated and burned by pro-Maduro forces.

The call for U.S. intervention has heightened, but Cuba and Russia have taken the Trump administration’s hesitation as the opportunity to move in first and prop up Maduro.

In fact, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remarked on Tuesday that Maduro was preparing to flee the country, but was emboldened to hold his ground when Russia stepped in to back his play.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Venezuela and the need to get humanitarian aid to the citizens was the primary focus of the call between Trump and Putin.

“The President’s primary focus throughout the call was about helping the people of Venezuela, making it clear that the United States stands with the people of Venezuela and the importance of making sure those individuals are able to get the food and the water and the medical supplies that is needed,” Sanders said. “The President reiterated that sentiment several times throughout the call.”

Sanders was also asked about whether the President made any progress on getting Putin to back off his support of Maduro.

“The President reiterated the need for a peaceful transition and his focus throughout the conversation was on the need to help the people and make sure that the aid was actually getting to them and being delivered,” she replied.

He did more than that. He contradicted his own administration, when it comes to Russia’s involvement in Venezuela, currently.

“He is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela, other than he’d like to see something positive happen for Venezuela. And I feel the same way,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with the Slovak prime minister.

Unbelievable.

It’s always Putin and Russia’s word over his own administration or intelligence community. Always.

It’s no secret that Donald Trump has willingly made himself the submissive in the relationship with the Kremlin. When you do such a thing with a man like Vladimir Putin, it does not endear you to him, no matter what Trump thinks. It simply shows your weakness.

In the Kremlin’s readout, Putin warned Trump against “outside interference” in Venezuelan affairs, saying such efforts would “undermine the prospects for a political settlement of the crisis.”

In fact, Putin feels encouraged to make demands on a number of issues.

On North Korea, Sanders said the two spoke about North Korea “a good bit of time on the call and reiterated both the commitment and need for denuclearization.” She said Trump told Putin about the “importance of Russia stepping up” in North Korea. The Kremlin said Putin called on Trump to reduce sanctions against the reclusive regime.

Last week, Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un had their own summit, and Trump was not invited.

Russia has long served as an ally to North Korea, influencing the communist roots of the nation after the region was split between the north and south.

It’s unclear if the president will heed Putin’s demand for relaxed sanctions, but if he suggests it in the near future, now you’ll know why.

Sanders also noted that the end of the Russia probe and its results were briefly discussed.

She would not directly answer questions from reporters on whether Russian interference, as shown in the Mueller report, was discussed between Trump and Putin, only saying, “the conversation on that part was very quick, but what I can tell you is that this administration, unlike the previous one, takes election meddling seriously. And we’re going to do everything that we can to prevent it from happening. That’s why we’ve taken a whole-of-government approach.”

Yes, I’ll agree that the Obama administration did not take the Russia threat seriously. Anyone who watched the third debate between Mitt Romney and Obama in 2012 understands that.

However, when election interference was uncovered in 2016, President Obama levied sanctions against the nation, shuttered Russian consulates, and had their diplomats put on a plane home.

To date, the Trump administration has shown no interest in preparing for potential Russian interference in the 2020 election and has parroted the Kremlin-approved line about their election activities.

Further, when asked after the Friday call if he at least warned Putin not to meddle in our future elections, Trump nonchalantly shrugged the question off, saying, that, in fact, he didn’t mention it (and he seemed more than a bit miffed that it was brought up).

WATCH: President Trump says President Putin "sort of smiled" when they discussed the Mueller report's findings about Russian interference in the US election. https://t.co/dFbdyebWNO pic.twitter.com/dWxeT3AdBa

— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 3, 2019

He never does.

Trump later tweeted that he and Putin “had a long and very good conversation” in which the “Russia hoax” was discussed in addition to North Korea, Ukraine, China, trade and nuclear weapons treaties.

If your first impression is that Trump continues to be Vladimir Putin’s dog, that would be the correct reaction.

Weakness before a man like Putin will not be met with mercy, and if our president is incapable of taking any other position, except on his back, neck and belly exposed, then he is ill-fitted for the office he holds.