Trump's Next Capitulation: Helsinki

With the meeting set between Russian thug and neighbor invader Vladimir Putin and his American manager and first fan Donald "Rump" Trump in Helsinki on July 16, the question isn't whether, but how much Rump will give away to his idol and mentor. He's already indicating that he has doubts about the role of the Kremlin in securing his election, contrary to every Federal intelligence agency, and he'll no doubt bring Putin some interesting intelligence from his meeting the day before with NATO leaders in Brussels. Our allies are very nervous about the reason behind his meeting with Putin, coming so close on the heels of the disastrous G7 summit in Quebec.

What we've recently called Rump's "performance review" from Putin will likely be a disaster for the Atlantic Alliance, which has already felt Rump's animus toward NATO and tariffs while noticing Rump's slavish affinity to and regard for Putin. It's not as though Russia has much to offer: Sen. McCain once described Russia as a gas station with nuclear weapons, it has an economy that's only half the size of California's, and they'll only make things worse in Syria. But what it does signify-- as Mueller's investigation may likely reveal -- is Rump's business' dependence on Russian oligarch money, whether laundered or hard wired to outfits like the Bank of Cyprus or Deutsche Bank. There may have also been commitments made by Kremlin representatives to Rump to reel him in as a Russian agent of influence for grand projects in Russia in years to come. Putting his personal business interests over the interests of the U.S. should be one of the primary articles of impeachment for the odious Rump.

Whatever the outcome, Rump has gone from defensiveness on Russia to flagrantly thumbing his nose at the appearance of cozying up to Putin, even as the Russia investigation heats up toward a climax. These are the actions of someone who feels emboldened by his rabid base's loyalty and his virtually unopposed discrediting of the institutions which are on his trail, digging for the truth about Rump's corruption and potential treason.

(photo: Getty Images. Putin likes what he's saying.)