Sorry Donald Trump, you lost me when you called Putin ‘a strong leader’

When Donald Trump said that murderer and rapists were coming across the border illegally, I supported him. When he called for a ban on Muslim immigrants, I endorsed him. When his proposals for dramatic increases in spending started scaring people, I defended him. When he decided to call Russian President Vladimir Putin a “strong leader” and a “powerful leader,” I realized that he’s simply not the President I thought he could be.

Putin is a thug. He’s a bully. He’s the exact opposite of being a “strong leader” because he represents the type of single-minded obtuseness that has plagued American Presidents for nearly 27 years. There are those who will try to dismiss Trump’s comments as an extended olive branch to represent future cooperation between the United States and Russia, but there’s a problem with that theory. In fact, it’s the very problem that should disqualify Trump in most voters’ minds.

Trump didn’t commend Putin because he likes him. He played his role very clearly to the script that he’s been playing since well before he became a Presidential candidate. Trump commended Putin because he said something complimentary about the GOP frontrunner. Putin said that Trump is a “colorful and talented person, without a doubt.”

As usual, Trump addresses people based on that singular criteria – what they say about him. If anyone attacks Trump, he attacks back. If they compliment him, he compliments them back. He’s singular in his perspectives about people which means that he’s extremely easy to manipulate.

Putin manipulated Trump. He didn’t even do it in a blatant way; “colorful” and “talented” aren’t exactly endorsements for him to become President of the United States. Still, it worked and Trump fell for it hook, line, and sinker. That’s scary. It’s terrifying to believe that if elected to become the leader of the free world that Trump could be pushed towards niceties in kind without having to address the real issue that Russia is a threat to America and the free world.

I like Donald Trump and I agree with most of what he says, but when it comes to being President, he’s demonstrated that he’s too quick to judge and far to quick to being played by a much more seasoned leader like Putin.

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