President Trump congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his reelection victory despite his national security advisers warning him specifically not to do so, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
Trump’s national security team had told Trump not to congratulate Putin on winning a fourth term during a phone call on Tuesday, even placing a section in his briefing materials that read “DO NOT CONGRATULATE” in all-capital letters, according to the Post.
However, Trump did congratulate Putin during the call.
Trump also did not follow aides’ instructions that he condemn Putin over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the U.K., according to the Post.
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Trump congratulated Putin on reelection win after his national security team warned him not to: report https://t.co/p6Ncje8jWX pic.twitter.com/Jy4Op9yfS4
— The Hill (@thehill) March 21, 2018
"DO NOT CONGRATULATE," national security advisers wrote in Trump's written briefing ahead of call with Vladimir Putin. Trump congratulated. The notes said to condemn the attack of an ex-Russian spy in London with a nerve agent. He did not. https://t.co/HjCkbdkbb4
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) March 20, 2018
Among many crazy things about DO NOT CONGRATULATE, some senior WH/NatSec official leaked it within hours to @CarolLeonnig @DavidNakamura @jdawsey1
Not many people physically see notes given to any POTUS before a Russia call. https://t.co/fYtGJm0RGY— Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) March 21, 2018
Why does he bother having advisers if he doesn’t listen to them?
Bad optics. Not good to congratulate a tyrant on his sham election, especially when you are under suspicion for colluding with him to rig your election.
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