Trump Slaps At Critics For Congratulatory Call To Putin

Donald Trump was feeling a bit defensive this afternoon as he took to Twitter to slap at critics (and his own national security team one supposes) about his congratulatory call to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his "reelection."

Reelection, oh my sides... LOL

Trump wrote, "I called President Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his election victory (in past, Obama called him also). The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him. They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing. They can help solve problems with North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, ISIS, Iran and even the coming Arms Race. Bush tried to get along, but didn’t have the “smarts.” Obama and Clinton tried, but didn’t have the energy or chemistry (remember RESET). PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!"

I called President Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his election victory (in past, Obama called him also). The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him. They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing.......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2018

.....They can help solve problems with North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, ISIS, Iran and even the coming Arms Race. Bush tried to get along, but didn’t have the “smarts.” Obama and Clinton tried, but didn’t have the energy or chemistry (remember RESET). PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2018

There's no way Trump even knows what "excoriate" means...

The Twitterverse reacted:

Trump says he won’t excoriate Putin despite: Russia meddling in the U.S. election, reports of wide-scale violations in the Russian election, and Russia allegedly carrying out a nerve agent attack in the U.K. on a former Russian double-agent. pic.twitter.com/Lckzf608zg

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 21, 2018

To be clear, Trump's own national security advisers are the ones who wrote these words: "DO NOT CONGRATULATE." https://t.co/ZB7NUeCCgp https://t.co/TH1QWV99rf

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) March 21, 2018

Quick difference...

Obama call Putin in 2012 to congratulate- No Russia interference with our election.

Trump call Putin in 2018 to congratulate- Shitload of Russia interference in our election which Trump team is being investigated for.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) March 21, 2018

President Puppet Congratulates Russian President Putin After Being Warned Not To By National Security Team

Donald Trump

Even though his national security team told Donald Trump specifically not congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his election "win," in that it was neither a free nor fair election, Trump went ahead and did exactly that, according to The Washington Post.

Trump also ignored the direction to chastise the Russian president for the recent poisonings in the U.K., including one earlier this month of an ex-Russian spy with a nerve agent.

Although several world leaders including Prime Minister Theresa May condemned Putin for the near-deadly attack, Trump did not mention the topic.

Nor did he bring up Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election or attacks on the U.S. power grid.

The president characterized his phone call with the Russian dictator as “very good call,” and added, “We’ll probably be meeting in the not-too-distant future.”

It took President Trump less than 48 hours to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his election. Yet after 14 months, he still refuses to take any concrete steps to prevent foreign interference in the 2018 elections. #ProtectOurDemocracy

— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) March 20, 2018

BREAKING: WH @PressSec Sarah Huckabee Sanders says in his call to congratulate #Putin on his election "win," Trump DID NOT raise Russian attacks on our elections, or nerve agent attack in the UK.

What a disgrace.

— VoteVets (@votevets) March 20, 2018

General Kelly, next time do it this way. pic.twitter.com/SgkynlIubW

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 21, 2018

DO NOT LOOK AT THE ECLIPSE
DO NOT TOUCH NASA HARDWARE
DO NOT CONGRATULATE PUTIN pic.twitter.com/eUiCAp8nI8

— Randy Renstrom (@RandyRenstrom) March 20, 2018