Former President George W. Bush has no problem saying that Russia meddled with the 2016 Election, unlike current President Donald Trump.
Trump repeatedly claims to believe Russian President Vladimir Putin when he says he didn’t meddle in the 2016 Election, despite our intelligence agencies confirming that Russia did exactly that.
Even when Trump begrudgingly admits that Russia interfered, he takes a weak tone. Of course, actions speak louder than words, which is why his recent decision not to enforce sanctions against Russia is so outrageous and suspicious.
After all, Congress passed the sanctions by an overwhelming, veto-proof margin in the first place because even our legislators believe our intelligence community.
You know who else believes Russia meddled in the 2016 Election? George W. Bush.
During an economic conference in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, Bush said that it’s “pretty clear” that Russia interfered. Bush said:
“There’s pretty clear evidence that the Russians meddled. Whether they affected the outcome is another question.”
That very question continues to be investigated along with the question of whether or not Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia, something Trump repeatedly denied.
Bush also lamented that the meddling will hurt the trust Americans have in our democratic process, which was likely another Russian goal. Bush continued:
“It’s problematic that a foreign nation is involved in our election system. Our democracy is only as good as people trust the results.”
Bush then warned that Putin is a threat to democracies around the world. He stressed the importance of NATO and urged our allies to continue to support it as well.
Bush said of Putin that:
“He’s got a chip on his shoulder. The reason he does is because of the demise of the Soviet Union troubles him. Therefore, much of his moves (are) to regain Soviet hegemony…That’s why NATO is very important.”
Indeed, NATO is an important check on Putin’s effort to grab more power and influence in the world, which is why Trump’s attacks on the organization are so unhelpful.
In the past, Trump has expressed contempt for NATO and has threatened to cut ties with the organization, which would isolate Europe and weaken the military alliance that has been in place for nearly 70 years.
Trump’s aides have even suggested removing American troops from NATO nations close to Russia in an effort to please Putin.
Putin is already reportedly trying to meddle with the 2018 Election, so it’s more important than ever that Trump condemn him and Russia for attempting to undermine our democratic process, even if making them stop means Republican losses on Election Day.
Featured Image: YouTube screenshot.
