This line from the original reporting on the whistleblower complaint has stayed with me:
Trump’s interaction with the foreign leader included a “promise” that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community …
As far as I know, we don’t know what the promise was or to whom he made it, although a case has been made for what he dangled in front of Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelensky. It could be that the original reporting was off, and we’ve learned a lot since then about *rump’s reprehensible actions, but I still feel like there’s more out there waiting to come to light.
At the Washington Post, Aaron Blake notes that Zelensky brought up two things he wanted in the phone call — military aid and a meeting with our *resident. He asks for aid, *rump says, “Do us a favor”; he agrees to help with the investigation *rump wants, and our *resident sort of agrees in a general way but won’t offer specifics or a commitment. (Surprising no one, of course.)
On the surface, it seems to be just two world leaders exchanging pleasantries — one expressing a desire to meet in person and another either agreeing or not wanting to rudely reject the request. But this is a big deal to Zelensky, and it’s a carrot that Trump has apparently dangled in front of him.
As The Post reported last week, the new Zelensky administration has wanted a meeting with Trump in Washington since he was elected in April, but Trump has resisted. Once Zelensky seemed to say he would do what Trump asked on the July 25 call, though, Trump said he would invite him.
Ukraine wants the show of support. What’s bothering me is that *rump showing support for Ukraine would most likely rile his Big Daddy Vladdy, unless they’ve got something else going on. Discrediting the investigation into Russian’s meddling? Inviting Putin to the G-7? Sanctions relief if re-elected? We know there’s no bottom to this administration. It seems if *rump was going to make an alarming promise, he’d go bigger than a meeting/photo op or releasing aid that had already been approved by all corners of the government.
And, as if we needed reminding, Charles Pierce notes that *rump is not a guy who keeps promises.
If we're all very lucky, it will be to some bush-league satrap like the ruler of Qatar. If we're not lucky, it will be to somebody who won't take the president*'s usual modus operandi as helplessly as various New Jersey glaziers once had to, and the president* will be forced to start eating his KFC with a geiger counter.
Maybe I’m just on edge after a crosstown hurricane tsunami of news. Wishful thinking? Most likely. I’ll take it, at least until the next headline hits.