While sitting on a ship that survived the fury of World War II, Donald Trump maligned America’s military leadership and praised Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. But that was just an opening act.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized U.S. foreign policy and the American political press corps Thursday during an interview on RT America, a state-owned Russian television network.
Despite a compliant press that has provided Trump with millions in free air time and made certain that his campaign has been top of the news ever since he rode down a gold escalator, Trump had one central focus for his attacks on America.
Asked during the RT America interview what has surprised him most about the political process, Trump unloaded on the American press.
“Well, I think the dishonesty of the media. The media has been unbelievably dishonest,” Trump responded. “I mean they’ll take a statement that you make which is perfect and they’ll cut it up and chop it up and shorten it or lengthen it or do something with it.”
Uh huh. Totally unfair.
Which is a great thing to say, when the press you're talking to answers to the Kremlin and acts primarily to generate propaganda to feed Putin’s “82 percent ratings." What did Trump have to say about making attacks on America for a Russian audience?
Well ... whoops.
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What else did Trump complain about on Russian state-owned TV?
Trump also dismissed accusations that he doesn’t have a firm grasp of military issues or a plan to combat the Islamic State. He said he has a “very distinct plan” and knocked foreign policy under Obama, Hillary Clinton, and former president George W. Bush.
Foreign policy. Right. The Russians like to hear our candidates saying we’ve been wrong there.
And what about the hacking of the DNC, other Democratic institutions and state election agencies? Does Donald Trump agree with the United States government that the Russians are behind the hack?
“I think it’s probably unlikely. I think maybe the Democrats are putting that out. Who knows? But I think that it’s pretty unlikely,” he said.
That's a convenient belief for someone who “didn't know” his words were headed for a Russian audience.