Discover and Read the Best of Twitter Threads by @PaulaChertok

We misconstrue Trump when we say like @jaketapper that Trump doesn’t “believe” Russia interfered. Trump is a master PR guy, a propagandist who uses language strategically to manipulate & worm out of messes. He knows Russia interfered. He purposely denies, conflates & confuses.

https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/1019682946989486081

“The President doesn’t believe the intelligence.” I urge @jaketapper & others to avoid using “believe.” It lets Trump off the hook for deliberate strategic use of propaganda to push his Russia narrative & a worldview where belief & opinion matter—not facts snappytv.com/tc/8508469/597…

.@juliettekayyem: Trump knows EXACTLY what he's doing. He is NOT condemning Russia. Maybe it's collusion or they have something on him. More scary: he's not nervous about the possibility of more, ongoing interference. That's why words like "treason" now being used by serious ppl.

Trump questions NATO Article5 collective defense: Montenegro's a tiny country, very strong aggressive people. They may get aggressive and congratulations, you're in WW3." Fact-check: Russia plotted to assassinate PM; Trump shoved that PM; Art5 invoked once—to defend US after 9/11

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1019375130093522944

Here's a thread with the rest of the highlights (lowlights?) of Trump's interview with Fox News Tucker Carlson in Helsinki. Grateful, as always, to @atrupar for doing the dirty job of watching the alternative fact propaganda universe so we don't have to🙏

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1019371895026745345

Are we missing something in Trump's "aggressive" Montenegro remarks and NATO defense? Putin's desperate to keep Russia's influence over Montenegro. GRU even plotted a coup. I bet Putin said something about Montenegrin "aggression" in the private 1-1 meeting at Helsinki summit.

NOW: Trump reads statement, cleaning up Helsinki debacle (room goes dark in middle!): I had a great meeting with Putin. Really interesting in so many different ways. The press covered it badly. Once again, full faith and support in our intelligence agencies. I have full faith.

Somedays I feel like we're living in the sequel to Moon Over Parador. Trump just said he "misspoke" and left out a "NOT" in Helsinki! He said he meant to say "I don't see any reason Russia would NOT be" behind interference. This gaslighting gets more ludicrous and stupider daily.

Trump didn't misspeak. Just bad gaslighting. That line came after a string of conspiracy theories deflecting from Russia, then he said Putin denied it, and only then did he say "I don't see any reason why it *would* be Russia"—even emphasizing WOULD. Watch

#Putin starts with rare words in English to "Donald": Ok, Shall we start? Then says a new era of cooperation is at hand. "There's no reason US-Russia relations should be complicated. On 'so-called' interference, the Russian state has never interfered in US election & never will"

Trump just slammed "obstructive" Democrats and the press in prepared remarks at press conference with Putin at #HelsinkiSummit

Q: This morning you blamed the US. Do you blame Russia for anything?
Trump: Yes, I blame both countries. Mueller probe is ridiculous. There was no collusion. There was nobody to collude w.

So Trump uses false equivalence to let Russia off the hook for attacking his own country😡

Trump’s already spewing Kremlin talking points & he hasn’t even entering the room with Putin. RUSSIA attacked our election, invaded Ukraine, stole Crimea, propped up dictator Assad in Syria, poisoned people in UK. “US foolishness & stupidity” is having #HelsinkiSummit with Putin.

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1018738368753078273

How much clearer can it be that Trump is Putin’s puppet?He has proof Russian GRU attacked us and he still won’t blame Russia. Instead he trashed his own country. Of course, Russian Foreign Ministry agrees. It’s their propaganda Trump’s been pushing for them. #HelsinkiSummit

Reupping old thread on Trump's use of "witch hunt." Along w/ "fake news," it echoes Russian propaganda. AND shows a deep refusal to see Russia as an adversary b/c among other things Putin is an ally against the real enemy of Trump GOP power grab—Dems & free press. #HelsinkiSummit

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/837745300064223233

Peak puppet: "I hadn't thought of that"—Trump on whether he'll confront Putin to extradite the indicted Russians. Then blames Obama! Seriously. Trump is always a sheep when it comes to Putin and Russia. He can't even lie well about it. cbsnews.com/news/trump-rus… #HelsinkiSummit

Q: You were very direct at NATO summit. Do you expect same tone w/ #Putin?
Trump: I don't expect anything. Getting along w/ #Russia's a good thing. We're greatly hampered by the rigged Russian WITCH HUNT.

#HelsinkiSummit—ALL Bromance. #BromancingTheEnemy

Music to #Putin's ears & warning lights blinking red: Trump again bashes our biggest ally—EU—as a FOE, the day before #HelsinkiSummit. Asked to identify the biggest foe globally, Trump: "Well, I think we have a lot of foes. The European Union is a foe." cbsnews.com/news/donald-tr…

🔥MEANWHILE >> A NEW MUELLER INDICTMENT‼️

How surreal to watch pomp and circumstance for Trump in London alongside mass protests. And now new charges in Russia probe on Friday 13th.

#TGIF #TFIMueller
#TrumpRussia

https://twitter.com/MarshallCohen/status/1017799937122340866

BREAKING Rosenstein: Mueller indicts 12 Russian military intelligence officers from 2 GRU units in hacking DNC and disseminating documents via DCLeaks and Guccifer2.0—both created and controlled by Russia's GRU.

NEW #Mueller indictment makes 25 Russians now charged for crimes in Russia's 2016 election interference. Hacking includes election boards & stealing voter data. Rosenstein told Trump last week. He emphasized that this shouldn't be approached politically. "We must be united." Wow.

Trump does a 180 on criticism of May, praises her in UK presser. Then: I'll ask Putin about meddling. I don't expect a Perry Mason 'I did it' moment. I'm not going into Putin mtg w/ high expectations. The rigged witch hunt makes it very hard to have a good relationship w/ Russia.

What an embarrassment for America, this incompetent coward. Trump cried "fake news"—unable to face his own words criticizing May just y'day! And he's unable to articulate a coherent policy on anything. GOP will NEVER live down this dangerous fool. Thank you, #London—woke AND lit!

🤯Trump blamed Obama—NOT PUTIN—for Russia annexing Crimea. So how do you think summit will go? Putin pushes Trump's anti-O buttons, massages his grievances, commiserates as metoo victim of US deep state conspiracy. Trump can't just walk back a disaster w/ Putin like he did w/ May

https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedNews/status/1017765475303002112

FARCE 101: Trump's captured House GOP are pretending they're having an oversight hearing when in fact they brought FBI agent Peter Strzok to badger & hold him in contempt. @RepGoodlatte just had a fit, made up rules, yelled at Dems, told Strzok he couldn't talk w his lawyer.

"At no time did my personal beliefs enter the realm of my work"—FBI #Strzok defends his negative texts about Trump. He said he wrote them late at night after he heard Trump's attacks on a Gold Star family and he was "disgusted" that someone running for president would do that.

Behold an incompetent witch hunt: Benghazi bulldog Gowdy’s mic drop really belongs to Strzok. In recounting his disgust at Trump insulting a GoldStar family, Strzok exposed just how morally bankrupt these disgraceful corrupt lapdog Republicans have become🎤

#NATO summit: NATO leaders united in approving plans to bolster defenses against #Russia. (Earlier Trump slammed allies, called Germany "captive of Russia" b/c of energy deal. Actually, Russia needs that energy deal more than Germany) - The Washington Post washingtonpost.com/world/europe/t…

FACT CHECK: Russia accounts for less than 20% of Germany’s energy needs

Trump falsely claimed Germany gets up to 70% of its energy from and is therefore “captive to Russia.” Nowhere near the truth, even w/ NordStream2 pipeline. snappytv.com/tc/8449919/592… #NATO #NATOsummit

#Russia's pipeline to #Germany that Trump seems to be so mad about, explained - The Washington Post washingtonpost.com/news/worldview… #NATO #NATOsummit #NordStream2

Media: THIS is how you cover Trump. Pan camera out to show his mortified staff enduring his talk. As he rants “Germany’s controlled by Russia” & rails falsely against NATO to “pay up now”—Kelly can’t sit still, Kay’s eyes pop out of head, Pompeo plays dead

(How to cover Trump talk, con’t) Show those in room. Then show embarrassed reaction of senior GOP to Trump rant:

Sen Hatch: I don’t agree w/accusation Germany is "totally controlled" by Russia. She’s great. Sometimes he can be—uh uh—a little too critical

(How to cover Trump, 3) Always show others in room to capture their reaction to his talk. Then play GOP rebukes. Finally, show him backtracking: Now he touts “great relationship”—w/ Merkel present. His rants are bluster. He rarely confronts ppl in person.

.@realDonaldTrump, call off your summit with Putin. A British woman is dead of a horrific poisoning, linked to ex-spy #Skripal poisoning just months ago. #Putin is not fine. He's responsible for this and other murders. America doesn't need to make deals with murderers. #Wiltshire

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1016067846000922624

@realDonaldTrump Sturgess murder by chemical weapon is yet another attack against NATO allies by Russia/Russian proxies approved and/or ordered by Putin. And election manipulation for Brexit and Trump. These facts alone warrant calling off Putin Summit. Imagine if a Muslim migrant had killed her.

@realDonaldTrump And this: Putin critic #Glushkov found strangled at his London home the day he was due in court in case against Russia's state-run airline Aeroflot

#Putin is not fine. #Russia under Putin is not fine. A summit now rewards & encourages a murderous regime.

dailym.ai/2NA1JtI

Trump on NATO: I said, y'know Angela, I can't guarantee it. We're protecting you, but it means a lot more to u than us. Germany wants protection from Russia but they make a gas deal w/Russia for billions & billions. And we're the schmucks paying for it all

Propaganda @FoxNews—only TV covering Trump rally live—posts his usual remarks on Russia, "Getting along is a good thing, not a bad thing." Fox strategically leaves out his condoning Putin's KGB background & embrace. "Know what? Putin's fine."
>>Praising a pariah, demeaning allies

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1015005875902263297

A rare moment of candor. Like his admission to Leslie Stahl, Trump admits at rally he uses "Democrat" as an adjective b/c "Democratic" sounds too good. Repubs use such deliberate language manipulation often. Media/press seem unaware this is propaganda framing & don't call it out.

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/967862375687663616

FINALLY: EPA Dir Scott Pruitt is OUT—Fired by tweet! About what he deserves after innumerable corruption scandals. He has so many ethics violations, CNN has to scroll them all on screen. They don't fit in any ordinary chyron. (Note: Trump still grateful how Pruitt destroyed EPA)

Interesting: @amandacarpenter suggests Pruitt leaving EPA may be the result of recent story that he approached Trump about firing Sessions so Pruitt could become Atty General. Pruitt's offer would presumably include undermining the Russia probe. Mueller may be looking at this.

While scandalous Pruitt exits, the acting EPA chief is now Andrew Wheeler, longtime coal lobbyist for Murray Energy. So the obscenity at EPA—selling out our environment & resources to corporate interests, choking our children's future—will continue. washingtonpost.com/news/energy-en…

Trump 'angry baby' blimp gets green light to fly over London during president's July 13 visit. The crowd-funded 6-meter blimp depicting Trump as a "nappy-clad orange baby" is part of planned 'STOP TRUMP' protests. news.sky.com/story/trump-an…

Proving tough-talking Trump really is a just an angry baby blowhard >> Trump to almost entirely avoid London during UK visit … because protests LOL

Thanks @TrumpBabyUK, gratefully yours, America theguardian.com/us-news/2018/j…

Afraid to be confronted by protesters in London, Trump will avoid protests by touring English country homes. (Maybe stay clear of Salisbury and Amesbury. Just sayin…) reut.rs/2KNsrAB #AngryBaby

>> NEW INCIDENT near #Salisbury:: Two collapse in #Amesbury, UK—near site of Russian spy #Skripal poisoning by military grade chemical weapon - BBC News bbc.com/news/uk-englan…

#BREAKING: Police now say pair found unconscious in Wiltshire U.K. were poisoned with Novichok, same chemical nerve agent that poisoned ex-Russian spy Sergei #Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, just 4 months ago bbc.co.uk/news/uk-447196… #Amesbury

BREAKING >> Following detailed analysis of samples, British counter-terrorism police confirm unconscious man & woman in #Amesbury have been exposed to the nerve agent #Novichok—the same nerve agent that poisoned Yulia & Sergei #Skripal #Russia #Wiltshire

That was fast! “Russia hawk”
Bolton is now pushing Putin’s lies

FACT: The Russian STATE uses proxies for its crimes—from “little green men” in Crimea to assassinations in UK to election meddling in US

Q: Kremlin offering MORE meddling to keep this corrupt minority GOP in power?

https://twitter.com/foxnewssunday/status/1013410532538441728

Trump will press Putin on election meddling denials—Bolton. If you believe that, then you probly need your head examined. Seriously, what absurd gaslighting. Helsinki summit is abt Trump rehab'ing pariah Putin who helped elect him. Trump & Putin are partners in denying this crime

It's one thing for our govt to lie to us. It's quite another for our govt lie to us for a foreign adversary who attacked us b/c the attack put them in power. Bolton spouting Kremlin propaganda, GOP Senators in Russia, Trump-Putin summit. It's all repugnant, given what's happened.

Trump may be an intellectual moron, but he's a helluva puppet. He discredits rule-of-law democracy, divides us from allies, AND 2yrs after Russia's info warfare disrupted & shockingly tipped our election, the puppet STILL pushes Putin's big gaslight lie—none of it ever happened.

🚨Trump continues to advance Russian interests—NOT ours: Y'day, he pushed Putin's lie that Russia didn't "meddle." (Even GOP Senate Intel Cmte concluded Russia attacked our democracy to rig the election for Trump.) Today, Trump again floats Russia's claim to Crimea is negotiable.

https://twitter.com/NiallStanage/status/1012816306234642433

MORE SHOCKING gifts to Putin: Trump orders Pentagon to analyze costs of withdrawing American troops from Germany—the only bulwark against a potential further Russian invasion of Europe. This during the height of #Russia's malign activity around the world. #maddow #inners

https://twitter.com/John_Hudson/status/1012797391412527105

OMG this week isn't bad enough: JUSTICE KENNEDY JUST ANNOUNCED HE IS RETIRING. A president whose legitimacy is under question for a rigged election, who attacks the US constitution and American values—gets to appoint yet ANOTHER Supreme Court Justice. Things are very very wrong.

So much for an independent judiciary. Justice Kennedy retiring now assures his political party—a Republican—gets to appoint his successor AND puts the Supreme Court on Nov ballot. Which should also put more pressure on every last American to stand up to Trump dismantling America.

.@SteveSchmidtSES: Trump lost popular vote by 3 million yet GOP controls all branches of govt. A minority rules the majority of a country opposed to the president. That's extremely unhealthy for democracy. Dems must block any Supreme Court nom before Nov election.#Kennedy #SCOTUS

CNN's @Acosta to @DonLemon on being accosted at Trump rally: The frenzy at these rallies is not like anything I've seen in politics. Patriotic Americans sing the national anthem, then turn on you, curse you, yell 'Fake News.' It's like the twilight zone.

@Acosta @donlemon Ubermensch much?? Trump at rally: "We are the SUPER-elite…the best, smarter, more loyal"

I know Hitler/Nazi comparisons feed his base, but they're warranted. I say that as a child of Holocaust survivors. A demagogue POTUS is dangerous. Don't wait for atrocities to speak out.

@donlemon 🔥@juliettekayyem: 6 days since Executive Order & 2000+ families remain separated. If there had been a plan and a commitment, the children could've been with their parents in 2-3 days. Failure to get this done is proof again that this admin creates crises rather than solves them.

🚨Concentration camps >> US Navy Document Shows Plan to Erect Sprawling Austere Detention Centers for 10,000s of Immigrants on remote bases in California, Alabama, Arizona to implement Trump “zero tolerance” policy for people crossing Southern border—TIME apple.news/AxiOLcW2cRte-P…

🚨😨>> Navy memo also proposes a camp for up to 47,000 immigrants at former Naval Weapons Station Concord, near San Francisco. Another facility that could house as many as 47,000 people at Camp Pendleton, the Marines’ largest training facility along the Southern California coast.

What couldn't possibly happen HERE yet DID:
•Russia attack election; pick a POTUS
•moron conman demagogue POTUS
•pro-demagogue propaganda media
•complicit/pliant rubberstamp GOP
•US criminalize refugee asylum seekers
•concentration camps
+SO MUCH MORE+
SPEAK UP—BEAR WITNESS

US Senators are planning to visit Russia, per Russian speaker Matviyenko tass.com/politics/10103…

GOP Senators to visit Russia for July 4—Independence Day. First official US delegation since the Kremlin attacked our democracy to elect Trump will reportedly include @SenShelby, @SenJohnKennedy, @SenatorHoeven. Nobody from Foreign Relations, Intel Cmtes nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-…

Are GOP senators visiting Russia now as another prelude to a Trump-Putin summit? Why are Republicans making nice with the authoritarian govt that attacked our election, wages war on our allies, & is partially responsible for our daily Trump nightmare?? And on Independence Day ffs

#BREAKING Trump gives in, drafts Executive Order to temporarily stop separating families at the border, per @MSNBC. So no more children as political hostages. But they’ll continue treating refugees as a whole as criminals? #CollectivePunishment #WorldRefugeeDay #Immigration

Trump: We have to be tough. Otherwise we’ll be overrun with people & crime.

So open cruelty may end but apparently “zero tolerance” won’t. 2500 children have already been separated from families. Crisis & incompetence remains as long as US criminalizes refugees. #WorldRefugeeDay

“I do thank you for your leadership”—DHS @SecNielsen begins AND ends her photo-op speech w/ Trump ostensibly ending family separation policy, eating her “there is no policy” words with an icky sycophant sandwich. (“Sycophant Sandwich” also a good caption for photo…because Pence)

FoxNews propagandist Laura Ingraham calls detention facilities with kennel-like cages holding 2000 children—including infants and toddlers—who were forcibly separated from their refugee parents "essentially summer camps," “boarding school.” via @JuddLegum

'It reminded me of going into an animal shelter.” Stunned reporter describes warehouse where Border Patrol detained hundreds of refugee children in chain-link cages. Doctors call it child abuse. FoxNews’ Laura Ingraham calls it “summer camp.” @nowthisnews

ICYMI THREAD: FoxNews' Laura Ingraham's Racist Propaganda SShow
–detention=summer camp
–separation protects kids
–refugees=bad parents
–caging kids prevents gangs
–border INVASION
–real victim=taxpayer
–Sessions: not Nazi-like; Nazis kept Jews from leaving

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