Smerconish Takes On Critics of Trump’s Red Carpet Putin Welcome: ‘As If He Should Have Kneed Him In The Groin!’
CNN’s Michael Smerconish wasn’t buying critics’ arguments that President Donald Trump should not have rolled out a literal red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin when the two met in Alaska.
Putin touched down at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage Friday and walked down a red carpet placed on the tarmac on his way to greet Trump. As the two leaders met up, Trump applauded Putin and shook his hand warmly before welcoming the Russian president to ride with him in the presidential SUV known as “The Beast.”
Critics were aghast at the congenial welcome, posting on social media that an “autocratic war criminal” didn’t deserve such splendor as his soldiers continued to attack Ukraine.
Smerconish, however, defended the president’s pomp and circumstance when discussing the meeting with guest, Admiral James Stavridis.
“Critics worried that Trump would sell out Ukraine. There’s no indication that he did that, nor that Putin made any accommodations,” Smerconish said. “But here’s a glass half full wish: If trump and Putin did sketch out a framework for a deal, they could not have said so. That would have appeared heavy handed toward president Zelensky and Ukraine. Maybe there was a quiet concession from Putin that Trump will now present to Zelensky on Monday. We’ll learn soon.”
“I’m kind of with you,” Stavridis said. “I’m hopeful that Zelensky will have learned from his first go round in the White House. I think President Trump really does want to resolve this crisis.”
Smerconish answered, “Yeah, I’m not wagering on it. I’m just trying to be fair. And I’m hearing all the criticism. I’m hearing all the criticism, ‘Oh my god, they rolled out a red carpet’ — as if he should have kneed him in the groin the minute that he stepped off the plane!”
Smerconish said Trump was so accommodating because “he’s trying to cut a deal.”
“I’m willing to give him credit for that, so long as he doesn’t sell out Ukraine in the process. And there’s no suggestion that he’s done so at this stage,” Smerconish said.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
