Donald Trump ‘Acts Like Someone Who Is In Collusion With Russia,’ Says Conservative Columnist
In an interview broadcast Saturday, conservative columnist David Brooks said that President Donald Trump “acts like someone who is in collusion with Russia,” Raw Story reports.
Brooks, who writes for The New York Times, went on PBS NewsHour to discuss the latest developments in American politics pertaining to President Trump. Brooks focused on Trump’s controversial call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Trump said on Friday that he had spoken to Vladimir Putin. The two men discussed foreign policy issues related to China, Ukraine, and North Korea but the issue of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election did not come up during the conversation, according to Trump.
While Trump and Putin did not discuss Russian election meddling, Robert Mueller’s report was on the agenda. Trump revealed to the press that Putin had “smiled” during the conversation, agreeing with him that the Trump-Russia story is nothing but a “hoax.” Trump also said that the conversation had lasted for an hour but reports from Russian media claim that it lasted for an hour and a half.
Many took issue with Trump’s refusal to discuss the Kremlin’s election meddling with Vladimir Putin but conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks took things even further, drawing a parallel between Russian election interference and the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Brooks described the Russian government’s interference as an “invasion,” stating that Trump’s behavior “undermines” democracy in the United States.
“It’s like having a conversation with the Japanese Emporer in 1942 and not mentioning Pearl Harbor. It was an invasion of this country, an invasion of our democratic process and every American in this country except one understands that.”
Brooks then went on to suggest that it is no wonder that many believe Trump colluded and conspired with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election, since the president is “acting” like he had colluded. According to Brooks, Donald Trump “in public and in the way he conducts himself, he acts like someone who is in collusion with Russia.”
The conservative journalist described Trump’s behavior as “baffling,” noting however that there has “probably” been no collusion.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller cleared President Trump and members of his campaign of conspiracy with Russia but refused to exonerate the president on the issue of obstruction of justice. Trump has, however, repeatedly claimed that there has been no collusion, and no obstruction.
JUST IN: Trump brags about potential "great relationship with Russia" after post-Mueller phone call with Putin https://t.co/Tgc7qRaxci pic.twitter.com/Kvofxnm0F4
— The Hill (@thehill) May 4, 2019
As The Hill reported, Mueller will likely soon testify before the United States Congress and shed some light on the burning issue of obstruction of justice.
