Just two weeks out from the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, President Trump is looking to put on a big show, pushing eagerly for a high-profile meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the first time the two leaders will have met.
Trump’s vision is for this to be a very publicized meeting, with full media access and all the usual diplomatic protocols that go with it. This is another case where he’s split with top officials in his administration, as State Department and National Security Council figures urge him to “keep his distance” from Putin.
They’ve offered two counter proposals, either that Trump and Putin have an informal “pull aside” meeting without the trappings of an official meeting, or that the two don’t meet at all, and instead the US and Russian delegations meet without the presidents’ involvement.
President Trump campaigned on the idea of normalizing US-Russia relations, but has done little to nothing to that end since taking office. To make matters more complicated, every meeting between US and Russian officials in recent weeks has been treated as hugely controversial both within the press and in Congress. It is likely concern over that which has many averse to Trump making a public show of meeting Putin.
Go for it Trump.
Yeah, ME TOO… Rick… I’m with YOU…. Go for IT….. DONALD…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Trump’s vision is for this to be a very publicized meeting, with full
media access and all the usual diplomatic protocols that go with it.”
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Great idea – if there are some intelligent, informed non-American-MSM-media present to ask Mr Trump some pointed questions. It will be … interesting (if somewhat embarrassing for Americans but they’re used to that by now) … to hear him answer.
…Perhaps he’ll expound some more on the beautiful babies Asaad kills – and the ugly ones he kills?
“…It will be…interesting…to hear him answer.”
Except he won’t. Whenever he gets a question that he takes issue with, the standard MO is to either ignore the question – and the questioner or publicly and with malice denigrate the questioner. I would not be surprised if all questions (if such a meeting were to be held) from the media will be required to be submitted for approval.
But my guess is that Putin declines a meeting since the obvious reason for Trump to meet Putin would be to insult the Russian President. Which has been proven in the past to not be conducive to meaningful diplomatic discourse.
It’s all about Trump. He’s trying to prove he can still get it up.
But that’s just this old Curmudgeon’s opinion…
Sure…. But Putin will give informed, intelligent answers and Trumpie will talk about absolootley magnificent beaoootiful and incredible.
Learn something and good for a laugh.
A … nice contrast between two world leaders.
If it’s not a private meeting, then it’s just a photo-op with the usual puffery.