All the world蘑菇视频 a stage
Whenever President Trump steps onto the world stage, he always feels compelled to give a performance.
In the end, he takes his bows, even when hardly anybody applauds him.
ACT I: When he flew to Brussels, he played Count Dracula.
He sucked the lifeblood right out of that NATO summit.
He launched verbal attacks against the NATO signatories by claiming they aren’t paying their fair share for their defenses.
He saved his most “biting” attacks for Germany and its Chancellor Angela Merkel, for being “totally controlled” by Russia. (Isn’t that what they call projection?)
Then he flew like a bat out of Brussels to England, where he took on the persona of Jack the Ripper.
ACT II: He immediately started slashing at Prime Minister Theresa May, by saying some unkind things about her during an interview.
He implied that he knows more about May’s handling of Brexit than May does.
Problem is, he had no idea his “cutting” remarks would appear in a British newspaper before he met with May.
When they held a joint news conference, “Trump the Ripper,” tried to slink into the shadows when he was asked about his insults.
He sheepishly backed-down.
Then he took a “stab” at a sharp new attack.
He lamented that Europe, and England, specifically, are suffering from the evils caused by their lack of tough immigration policies.
Lax immigration is “changing the culture,” according to Trump.
“It’s a very sad situation,” he added.
By claiming that immigrants and refugees are “changing the culture” of Europe, some people might even call Trump a racist.
NOTE: I’ve never called him a racist. It’s not a word I’m comfortable using. I have, however, called him a liar. So, when Mr. Trump proclaims, “I am no racist,” – HE’S LYING! See, I didn’t call him a racist.
Theresa May didn’t call him a racist, either.
She did offer a direct rebuke to an American president who seems to think he knows more about England’s internal affairs than she does.
“We have a proud history of welcoming people who want to come to our country to contribute to our economy and contribute to our society,” May said.
After spraying his bad-will all over the United Kingdom, Trump boarded Air Force One and headed for Helsinki.
ACT III: There he played a monkey to Vladimir Putin’s organ grinder.
Maybe that’s too strong.
He played Pinocchio to Putin’s Geppetto. (More fitting, since he has such a hard time telling the truth — his nose can stretch to the Guatemala.)
After meeting face-to-face with Geppetto for two hours, they held a little news conference.
It went well for Geppetto. Pinocchio, not so much.
He’d been made aware of the indictments of 12 high level Russian intelligence operatives before he appeared with his puppet master.
That’s 12 Russians who’re alleged to have tried to disrupt the 2016 presidential election — and shatter the foundation of America’s Democracy.
Yet, given every opportunity to confront Putin in public about the recent findings, he appeared to fall under Putin’s spell.
“I think that the (Mueller) probe is a disaster for our country. I think it’s kept us apart. It’s kept us separated,” he told reporters.
Well, then.
When people call him “Putin’s Puppet,” that could be exhibit “A.”
A two-year investigation, that’s produced some very strong evidence that Putin is in no mood to play nice with the United States, and Mr. Pinocchio acts as if the people who uncovered the proof had taken a knee at a football game.
Later, Trump did freely admit that he misspoke during that news conference.
Some business about him using the word “would” instead “wouldn’t.”
But the damage had already been done.
He’s called the Mueller investigation a “witch hunt” so many times, that only his most ardent supporters believe he truly misspoke.
Besides, he still punctuates every comment about the investigation (or anything else for that matter) with two words — “no collusion.”
Mr. Trump, what did you and Melania do last night.
“NO COLLUSION.”
I don’t doubt that.
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter and anchor for Entertainment Tonight and 20-year TV news veteran. Email him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.