Many in the media have been calling President Donald Trump the “puppet” of Russian President Vladimir Putin for what they see as not being tough enough against Moscow, but recent military movements suggest he’s taking action against Putin’s aggression toward Ukraine.
After Trump’s Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton called him a “puppet” for Putin in their final presidential debate in 2016, the moniker stuck with members of the media who applied it to Trump when he was doing too much with the Russian president but also when he wasn’t doing enough.
One recent example is the anticipated meeting of global leaders at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nov. 30, in which Trump and Putin were supposed to meet, but didn’t after Trump abruptly cancelled, citing Russia’s decision to seize three Ukrainian ships.
“Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin,” Trump tweeted on Nov. 29. (RELATED: The Media Lied To You Again This Week: Obama Was No Tough Guy, And Putin Knew It)
A few in the media called Trump a puppet for agreeing to meet with Putin in the first place.
LOL. Funny how Putin snapped his fingers and his puppet Trump snapped to attention. https://t.co/Mv0GJSmUgT
— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) November 30, 2018
The media framed Trump as not wanting to be seen as a puppet when he cancelled.
G-20 flop: No tantrums or insults b/c Michael Cohen has him on thin ice and GHW Bush’s death shows DJT’s deep flaws as a POTUS and a person. No Putin meeting b/c he dared not be seen the puppet he is and no tariff tough talk b/c he’s only hurting his base. https://t.co/8ysfFeedWX
— John Dean (@JohnWDean) December 2, 2018
The media continues to accuse Trump of acting under the influence of Putin.
American troops are taking part in a two-week mock combat training program alongside 15 other allied nations amid increasing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, Stars and Stripes reported. At least 5,500 troops participated in the combat program in the freezing, wet forests of Germany as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve’s nine-month rotational deployments to Europe in response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
“The rotational deployments of armored brigade combat teams are a tangible expression of U.S. commitment to strengthening the defensive and deterrent capabilities of the NATO alliance,” an Army statement on the combat exercise read, according to Stars and Stripes.
Troops, tanks and choppers waded through the muddy forest in the practice. Drones flew above and scouted “enemy” troops.
Troops, tanks and choppers fought a mock battle in a freezing, muddy German forest on Tuesday with 15 allies and partner nations https://t.co/QIiDxy1Hxe
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) December 11, 2018
“The forward presence of U.S. soldiers is the bedrock of our country’s ability to assure allies, deter adversaries and react in a timely manner if deterrence fails,” the Army statement added.
The U.S. military also forcefully responded to Russia’s military aggression on Dec. 6 after a naval confrontation between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, CNN reported, in which Russian warships rammed Ukrainian ships.
A U.S. Air Force OC-135 observation aircraft conducted an “extraordinary flight” over Ukraine in a show of solidarity with the country.
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