Monday, September 30, 2019

Whatever you think about Trump's actions, there is real fallout here and it could be longterm.

As impeachment fever grips Washington, the long-ranging and damaging foreign policy implications of the release of a memo summarizing President Donald Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were largely overlooked.

After Trump released the memo, he trotted out Zelensky for an awkward press conference wherein he alleged that he'd placed "No pressure" on the Ukrainian president to investigate former vice president Joe Biden's son.

Seated across from Trump, Zelensky said the July call was a "Good phone call" and "Normal," and that he discussed "Many things."

Zelensky flatters Trump, says he stayed at his hotel, and credits him with inspiring his "Servant of the People" campaign.

At Trump's insistence, Zelensky agrees to work with Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr on the investigation.

Zelensky's obsequiousness to Trump won't help him in negotiations with hostile leaders either.

At one point in the call, Zelensky tells Trump, "Yes, you are absolutely right. Not only 100 percent but actually 1,000 percent."

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/impeachment-2-0-is-trainwrecking-u-s-foreign-policy/

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