‼️Trump and Putin's relationship leading up to the 2016 election. (VIDEO THREAD)

What was Trump saying, how has his rhetoric changed and how does this relate to Biden?

T+P = Trump and Putin
Preface: We are at a crucial time w/ less than 100 days from election. Biden will be in the same position Clinton was in some of these clips very soon.Think about the last 4 years when viewing these clips and think about what Biden knows now (he's getting intelligence briefings).
2013:
- Trump tweets hopes Putin "will become my new best friend"
- Ignoring everything else we NOW know about T+P's relationship prior to 2013 - knowing a president would add gravitas to Trumps business world.
- However, it starts the theme of sucking up. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/347191326112112640?s=20
2013:

Trump in Larry King interview talking about Putin's NYT Op'ed:
- He praises Putin for being a strong leader and is happy Russia "has taken over Syria".
- He swoons over Putin for "outsmarting our country" (The USA).

See Putin's Op'ed here: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html
2013:

MSNBC interview (clip: 2016, interview: 2013)
- Trump reports he "has a relationship with Putin"
- He swoons once again for Putin
- For some reason he mentions that Putin "would be very interested in what we're saying today".

QL's question: why would Putin be interested?
2014:

Conservative conference:
- He praises and swoons about a "present"
- He says his "Putin is toying with Obama"
- He thinks Putin is smart for annexing Crimea because it's "got all the money".
- Annexing Crimea is what got Russia kicked out of G8
Con conference continued:
- He says the rest of "Ukraine will fall too"

QL: Getting flashbacks to the "perfect phone call" where Trump asks "do us a favour" by withholding aid from Ukraine for dirt on Biden. Trump certainly knew what he was doing during that phone call in 2019
2014

National Press Club:
- Adores Putin for his "high approval ratings"
- He says Putin "outsmarted the US" again.
- He talks about a big curse - "if China and Russia Unify"
- He praises China for buying his apartments

QL: He's wanting it to be US-RUS rather than RUS-China
QL Intermission: A common theme you'll notice in these clips and when Trump usually talks about Russia (even in 2020) is that he's trying to normalise a friendly US - RUS relationship. But we know Russia helped Trump in the elections, hacking, disinformation, bounties etc.
2014

National Press Club cont:
- Trump "I've got more oligarchs living in my buildings..."

QL: Keep this oligarch comment in mind and contrast this oligarch response to one in a later clip. Also with his business interests he's hiding now.
QL intermission: Look/listen at how much more coherent he was pre-presidency. He's always been a bullshitter but he was much better at it back then. The tone, word finding, rhythm etc Compare it to 2020 - cog decline most likely progressing dementia.

Now he is a bumbling fool.
2014

National Press Club cont:
- The question: What would Trump do to negotiate with Putin?
- He basically says Putin thinks the US is weak and doesn't respect the US/Obama.
- He swoons once again "he couldn't have been nicer" during miss universe 2013.
2016:

Trump's last press conference before the election:
- Thinks P would prefer Trump > Clinton
- T hopes P likes him if elected
- He says P called Obama the "N-Word
- T says "he has nothing to do with Russia?"
- T says "no oligarch investments in Trump organisation"
QL: Objectively by this time the P+T link would be viewed more as a liability to Trump's presidency. But he attempts to distance himself from it by straight out lying about the stuff we've just spent the last ~8 tweets demonstrating. Use what we know NOW to analyse these clips.
2016:

cont:
- T says "nothing to do w/ P other than that he will respect" T
- About the hacks: its probably not RUS "If its Russia its bad for a different reason...shows how little respect they have...but it would be interesting to see"
- "RUSSIA IF YOURE LISTENING...EMAILS"
QL: For next two clips its an incredible look into what Clinton knew and was right about.
- Just look back on these debates with what we know now and what we know Clinton knew. Biden now knows everything (and as VP he probably knew too)
- Also look at their contrasting faces!
The 2016 Presidential debates:
- Intelligence committee had just come out with information that RUS was helping Trump get elected.
- "Adversary is working so hard to influence the election"
- "Trump should release his tax returns so we can see his entanglements" w/ RUS
2016 debates cont:

Trump responds:
- "Shes blaming the lie on...honest Abraham Lincoln" ( I don't know what he's referencing Lincoln for)
- "I don't know Putin"
- "I know nothing about Russia...no deals...no loans"
- "As soon as...audits done...I WILL RELEASE MY TAX RETURNS"!!!
Conclusion part 1:
- Reflect on everything we now know including the pre-2013 and what we've seen from Trump regarding RUS over the last 4 years. The switch from knowing him very well to not knowing at all. Everything Trump has done in the last 4 years has to aid Russia's goals.
Conclusion part 2:
- (1st of Aug 2020) I created this 2 min clip contrasting reality (post 2016 Trump) vs Kayleigh McEnany's press con (31st of July 2020).
- It's not all-encompassing but gives a good overview of what Trump has done to further Putin's agenda over the last 4 yrs.
You can follow @Real_QL.
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