WASHINGTON – Donald Trump s unsettling embrace of Russia s Vladimir Putinthis week drew derision across the US political spectrum, but it remains tobe seen whether Republicans have the will to rein in their president.
The two major American political parties appear largely united in theirdesire to keep the Kremlin in check, particularly after Trump made thestartling assertion in Helsinki Monday, with Putin at his side, that hebelieved the Russian leader when he said Moscow did not interfere in USelections.
That globally televised submissiveness to a strongman was interpreted bymany as a betrayal of US intelligence agencies, which had collectivelydeclared that Putin and Russia launched a coordinated attack on theAmerican electoral process in 2016.
“We walked away from basic reality,” an angry Republican Senator Ben Sassetold colleagues, as he accused Trump of coddling a “thug turned Russiandespot.”
While Trump s position on Russian interference has shifted repeatedly inrecent days, and fresh comments about NATO cast doubt about the alliance smutual defense premise, some in Trump s party signalled they had had enoughwith his wrecking ball diplomacy and sought to take steps to box him in.
Republican Senator Jeff Flake, with a Democratic co-sponsor, on Wednesdayintroduced a non-binding resolution that would reaffirm the intelligencecommunity s assessment of Russian interference, and assert that Moscow beheld accountable for its actions.
A meatier measure would be a bill, introduced months ago by RepublicanSenator Marco Rubio and Democrat Tim Kaine that is gaining traction now,that would automatically sanction Russia for any future election meddling.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Tuesday that he couldallow a vote on the legislation.
“I think the dam is breaking as it relates to people realizing that we needto have some significant push backs,” Senator Bob Corker told reportersWednesday.
“Doing nothing is political malpractice,” added Senator Lindsey Graham.Russian meddling “is a 9/11 type scenario that we can actually prevent.”
Corker has been adamant about passing legislation that would restrictTrump s ability to impose tariffs, arguing that taxing US allies pushesthem away while strengthening Putin.
But while Corker serves as the powerful chairman of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee — where Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies nextweek and will certainly be grilled about Helsinki — he is not running forre-election, and neither is Flake.
They are liberated to a degree to voice their frustration, but there islittle upside in speaking out for other Republicans seeking re-electionthis November.
Anti-Trump vitriol has backfired on some lawmakers, notably South Carolinacongressman Mark Sanford. Trump raged about him on Twitter, and thelawmaker ultimately lost his Republican primary last month to a Trumployalist.
There is little sign that Republicans are ready to go nuclear against thepresident. But with Senate Republicans holding a slim 51-49 majority, andSenator John McCain absent while battling brain cancer, a single defectorhas the power to gum up Trump s agenda.
Republicans “should use their leverage to stop the administration spriorities” until the Senate passes legislation that protects specialcounsel Robert Mueller and his Russia probe, and bolsters electionsecurity, Senate Democrat Brian Schatz told Politico.
“In a 51-49 Senate, all we need is one person who wants to be on the rightside of history.”
The pressure is building.
“I think there s a growing wave of alarm” in both parties, DemocraticSenator Richard Blumenthal told AFP.
Blumenthal and other Democrats want Trump s interpreter — the only otherAmerican in the room when the American and Russian presidents met privately– brought before Congress to testify about what transpired between the twomen.
Republicans have not publicly warmed to that idea, but some are interestedin hearing from Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton, who werelikely debriefed by Trump after his Putin sit-down.
Major US newspapers, meanwhile, called on the Republicans who control bothchambers of Congress to take action.
The New York Times, in an editorial titled “Time for Republicans to Grow aSpine,” said Congress should pass a resolution censuring the president overhis Helsinki debacle.
“Let Mr. Putin know that not every American politician is eager to be hisdancing bear,” the editorial board wrote.
It also suggested other steps, including boosting the integrity of USelection systems and protecting them from further Russian meddling, andcalling on Trump to demand the extradition of 12 Russians indicted lastweek for election interference.
Even the conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board wrotethat lawmakers need a “containment strategy” for Trump.
“Republicans and Democrats will unite in Congress, as they should, to limithis diplomatic running room,” it said. – APP/AFP