Colin Powell Emails On Trump: The Former Secretary Of State Refers To Donald Trump As A Pariah And National Disgrace
The Santa Monica Observer reports recently leaked Colin Powell emails reveal the former Secretary of State describing Donald Trump as a “pariah,” a “national disgrace,” and totally without any “sense of shame.” While it was already known that Colin Powell wasn’t particularly fond of the Republican presidential nominee, these emails make it clear just how far this dislike goes.
https://twitter.com/pharris830/status/776092086655344640
As a fairly moderate Republican – one of the few still left in the party – Colin Powell has never been particularly comfortable with the rise of the extreme right wing. The supporters of Donald Trump and the Tea Party have an equal disdain for Powell. However, Powell is always been fairly quiet and circumspect when it comes to criticizing those in the Republican Party with whom he doesn’t agree.
This is why the release of these emails has dropped like a bombshell, making it plain just what Powell thinks about the blustering, insulting – and sometimes even threatening – Donald Trump. Like most other moderate Republicans, as well as traditional conservatives who are part of the establishment, Powell views Trump as a potential disaster for the party and the country.
https://twitter.com/mcspocky/status/775455705813966849
But it’s unlikely this revelation will have much of an impact on the opinions of those who support Donald Trump. Powell is considered by extreme right-wingers and Trump supporters to be a RINO – Republican in Name Only – which means Powell’s dislike of Trump only makes them like the pompous, extremist Republican nominee even more.
Even without the emails, it’s easy to see what Colin Powell might dislike about Donald Trump. Powell is a retired four-star general, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former Secretary of State and former National Security Advisor. He has to view Donald Trump’s total lack of experience in governance – as well as Trump’s woeful ignorance about the intricacies of international relations and military matters – with rising concern.
Just look at what Donald Trump has said about Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator and leader of what has once again become the principal adversary of the United States. Trump actually seems to like and admire Putin, calling him an effective leader – ignoring the fact that Putin’s effectiveness entails muzzling the news media and murdering the opposition whenever the mood hits him.
Republicans struggle to explain Trump's fondness for 'murderer and thug' Putin https://t.co/KhkEBoPBzn #NeverTrump @HillaryClinton
— Jennifer Granholm (@JenGranholm) September 9, 2016
He also appreciates the fact that Vladimir Putin’s Russia apparently hacked into the Democratic Party’s emails and released them to the general public. In fact, he actually encouraged Putin to get more of these emails. In effect, the Republican nominee for president of the United States was encouraging a foreign leader to violate United States law. Powell must shake his head at this one.
Obviously – given all the above – the concept of a Trump presidency would be disturbing for Colin Powell. Although not mentioned in the emails, Trump’s views on the Islamic world must be equally troubling for Powell. As Powell would know, Trump’s decision to demonize all of Islam and brand all Muslims as terrorists only serves to further alienate and radicalize young Muslims.
NATO countries don't need to worry. #Trump is buddies with Putin and will just tell him to stop if he's invading you https://t.co/E7NsnleSR8
— John Moffitt ???? (@JohnRMoffitt) September 10, 2016
Donald Trump’s ignorance of international relations and repeated gaffes on foreign policy matters – from the NATO alliance to military cooperation with Japan – certainly must alarm the former Secretary of State. But Powell also makes it clear in these emails that he deeply resents the racism that is clearly evident in Trump and his followers.
As noted by the Desert Dispatch, the Colon Powell emails also point to Trump’s participation in the anti-Obama “birther” movement. “Birthers” are people in the Republican Party – principally Tea Partiers – who believe that Pres. Obama was born in Kenya, and thus not qualified to be president. Powell suggests in his emails that the entire movement was essentially racist in nature and that Trump was one of the principal people encouraging this conspiracy theory.
[Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for TIME]
