One day after signing a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea, President Donald Trump lashed out at his own party in one of his signature morning tweetstorms, blaming Republican members of Congress for the deteriorating relations between Russia and the United States.
Our relationship with Russia is at an all-time & very dangerous low. You can thank Congress, the same people that can't even give us HCare!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2017
The accusation follows several messages from Russian officials needling Trump after he signed the sanctions bill, messages seemingly tailor-made to get under his skin.
The Trump administration has shown its total weakness by handing over executive power to Congress in the most humiliating way
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) August 2, 2017
On Capitol Hill on Thursday, senators were confused and irritated at the president’s finger-pointing, noting that the sanctions bill passed by a large, veto-proof margin on a bipartisan basis and was signed by President Trump himself. Republican lawmakers stressed to TPM that it was the Russian actions that inspired the sanctions, not the sanctions themselves, that are to blame.
“We have bad relations with Russia because they’ve done bad things,” emphasized Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC). “What we’re trying to do is put pressure on a nation that has interfered with our elections, that is trying to relive the Soviet Union days, and it’s absolutely appropriate for a co-equal branch of Congress to make it very clear that the American people we represent think that Russia needs to be held in check. The president rightful takes the lead on the issue, but that’s not to the exclusion of us asserting our own position on Russia and their bad actions.”
Defending the steps Congress took last week, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) said Russia’s meddling in other nations as well as the U.S. spurred them to act. “The fact that it refuses to get out of Ukraine. The fact that it violated any number of international norms with its behavior and cyberattacks—plain and simple,” he said.
Even lawmakers who usually defend the president, such as Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), hit back Thursday over the Russia blame. “I think our strained relationship with Russia started in 1917, didn’t it? With the Communist Revolution?” Shelby quipped to reporters. “It’s ebbed and flowed since, but I don’t see how it’s Congress’ fault.”
“It’s completely Putin’s fault,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) added.
If Trump thought the legislation was so damaging to international relations, several senators wondered, why didn’t he veto the bill when it came to his desk?
“I think he signed it, didn’t he? “Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) told TPM with a smile when asked about the president’s tweet. His grin fading, he added more soberly: “The bottom line is that Russia is to blame with for the relations with Russia deteriorating.”
Seemingly?? Putin knows how to push Trump’s buttons. And Trump doesn’t know how to properly respond so he turns on his own party.
I guess this means Russia isn’t paying for the wall.
How’s that nothingburger tasting now Repubs?
Like a well done steak with catsup!
Trump is officially a cuck. No one is scared of him. No one bothers to couch their disagreements with him in diplomatic terms.
He’s being cucked by Congress, by the Russians, and by his own staff. All he has now is his base and they won’t be able to save him.
Really starting to look like the beginning of the end for Trump.