Holding an impromptu press briefing on his way to the presidential plane Donald Trump told one more lie to add to the more than 13,400 lies, exaggerations, and distortions he has told during his tenure as president. Everyday now he is telling us that ISIS is not a threat to us because they will probably go to Europe. Secretary of Defense Esper (Trump called him Esperanto) said that “just a little over 100 ISIS fighters have escaped. The fact is that Trump abandoned the Kurds who had been the main fighting force against ISIS and that the new deal between Turkey and the Kremlin, which sidelines the United States, endangers the lives of the Kurds and advances Putin’s agenda. There was no consultation with diplomats of foreign policy experts before Trump decided to withdraw the troops from Syria. This is one more example of the way Trump has bypassed the normal process of governing. Nothing exemplifies that tendency more than the case of Ukraine. We now have more evidence after Ambassador Bill Taylor clearly linked Trump to the actions of Giuliani and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the experienced diplomat has plenty of documentation to back up his assertions. He has kept a record 15 pages long to summarize the events around the Ukraine scandal.
Trump continues to insist the his call to president Volodymyr Zelensky was “perfect.” A critic is suggesting that Trump is actually convinced that the call was perfect because it addressed the issues that he wanted asking for an investigation of the Bidens and the 2016 election. But it is precisely that quid pro quo that got him in trouble, and this is anise that demonstrates that the White House is not prepared to deal with the controversy in a coherent way. Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney stetted at a press briefing that the quid pro quo took place and that the White House operates in that way “all the time.” He did try to walk back the whole statement but it is too late. There is video to show what he said exactly and his weak defense that “journalists use their own words” is not convincing. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who has been linked to the whole affair has an equally weak defense, responding that the issue is a “hypothetical.” But is it not a hypothetical and he was clearly involved with Giuliani and the two Ukrainians who were arrested by the FBI. Trump’s usual defense is to attempt to discredit his accusers, but Ambassador Bill Taylor, who has described in detail how the Ukrainian scandal developed is a man of impeccable credentials and a very experienced diplomat. Impeachment seems more imminent, although Evangelicals support Trump in spite of all the evidence. They will vote for him even if the hearings provide more evidence of his unethical actions. Mitch McConnell, for the first time implied Trump was lying when he claimed he discussed Ukraine with the senator. Perhaps the proof will come when GOP leaders find their consciences.
Editorial
Noticias Newswire
