A Russian Mole?
Opinion by Team Thomas
In the Oval?
If you listen to his critics, Donald J. Trump certainly had a stunningly divisive first term in the White House. There are many, indeed. And the Trump track record is amply littered with numerous examples of what many naysayers call political mischief.
From the earliest days of his Administration, Mr. Trump was accused of colluding with Russians to defeat his political opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s National Security Advisor, General Michael Flynn, even went so far as to plead guilty to lying to the FBI about discussions with Russian leadership. However, Flynn is now trying to withdraw that guilty admission.
The President was accused of obstructing Congress in its investigation of his decision to withhold $400 million in U.S. security assistance for Ukraine in their ongoing skirmish with Russia unless Ukraine’s new president agreed to investigate his 2020 presidential election opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden.
The U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Trump for obstruction and abuse of power in the Ukrainian matter. The Senate did not convict the President using the nefarious excuse of not calling supporting fact witnesses, which only served to reinforce the image that the Senate trial was a hoax, hardly instilling any new confidence in our failing governing institutions.
Despite overwhelming evidence, corroborated by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence chaired by North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, that Russia meddled in the 2016 and 2018 U.S. elections, President Trump has largely ignored calls by Republicans and Democrats alike on Capitol Hill to sanction the former Soviets for their interference in American democracy. It appears that Russia may now be meddling in the 2020 U.S. elections as well if recent intelligence reports are to be believed. However, President Trump once again dismissed mounting evidence.
Mr. Trump has claimed absolute authority over the U.S. House of Representatives despite what Articles I and II of our Constitution stipulate about shared powers, checks and balances, appropriating, and more. It would appear that Mr. Trump may be undermining the U.S. Constitution by firing Inspectors General at various federal agencies, refusing oversight inquiries from committees of Congress, flouting the rule of law, collecting emoluments, and more.
The President is and has been frequently attacking our closest allies and relationships, many of which were forged in the trying days of World War II. The 45th president has challenged our alliances with the British, French, Germans, Canadians, Australians, and Mexicans, for example. He has debased NATO, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization. Mr. Trump has unilaterally canceled out several critical multinational accords and canceled long-standing arms-related treaties with the Russians in a manner that favors the Russians.
So, do many of these Trump actions benefit or appear to help the Russian government at the expense of the United States public some are now questioning: Is President Trump a Russian mole in the Oval Office, as has been rumored in some quarters? Is Mr. Trump Vladimir Putin’s man on the inside dismantling our institutions of power? Thumbing his nose at our rule of law?
