Donald Trump tweeted out yet another defense of Putin on Wednesday, but he probably failed to “assuage” any concerns about the fact that Vladimir Putin personally spearheaded an effort to hack our election and effectively install Donald Trump as President.
Ever since way, way before a minority of Americans kinda-sorta elected Trump thanks to interference from Russia, the FBI, and through reliance on an outdated system — the Electoral College — that exists solely for the benefit of slave owners centuries ago, it has been clear that Trump has been colluding with Putin. Not only had it been obvious enough that Hillary Clinton called him out for it numerous times during the runup to the election, but The Donald has been singing Putin’s praises almost constantly for a year now and exhausting a lot of effort filling every appointed position he can with people who are likely to be very, very friendly to Russia (including men who directly worked for and with Russian officials).
The CIA and FBI, as well as more than a dozen other intelligence agencies, all agree that Russia hacked our election. But according to Trump, we should listen to the guy fleeing rape charges who was recently busted making internet sexy time with an 8-year-old girl (Wikileaks says that an “unknown entity” had “posed as an internet dating agency” as part of an “elaborate plot” to frame Assange).
“Julian Assuage said ‘a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta” — why was DNC so careless?” Trump tweeted, blaming Podesta — not the hackers — for the hack. “Also said Russians did not give him the info!”
Trump, actually catching the fact that his spelling is terrible for once, quickly deleted the tweet and replaced it with one in which his rapist friend’s name was spelled properly:
Julian Assange said "a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta" – why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
Naturally, Twitter leaped on The Donald, hammering him both for his atrocious spelling and the fact that he’s getting his information from a guy who is fleeing justice for raping someone rather than the people whose job it is to figure out what is going on.
@realDonaldTrump Was Charles Manson removed from prison and hospitalized as a ploy so you could appoint to your cabinet?
— Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump so you're just a regular #AgentOrange now, Donald? You think the FSB- backed Assange over US intelligence agencies?
— Justin Hendrix (@justinhendrix) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump A 14 year old didn't. Russians did. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Big league hacking.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump I understand that you relate to Assange as someone also accused of multiple sexual assaults, but he isn't a credible source
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump I'm waiting for that fun montage in this horrific real-life movie where you finally learn how to become a proper president.
— Ben Berkon (@BenBerkon) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump Did he tell you this while he was massaging your feet and Putin was making you dinner?
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump Who are some of your other favorite fugitives?
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump when are you going to tell us the secret stuff you said you knew? It was supposed to be today, right?
— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump So you’re getting your intelligence briefings from Julian Assange. Right-O Donald.
— Emma Kennedy (@EmmaKennedy) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump Forget about what US intelligence service think, because whatever a Swede holed up in an embassy says must be true, right?
— Christoph Rehage (@crehage) January 4, 2017
@realDonaldTrump OF COURSE Russian agents wouldn't have *directly* given them to Assange, they'd have used one or more middle men 4 distance
— Guav (@guav) January 4, 2017
Julian Assange has said multiple times that he did not directly get the hacked emails and other data from Russia — something that is probably true, as Putin is unlikely to directly hand “Assuage” the information. But you have to love how easily Trump’s followers are duped by careful wording, right?
At this point, at least among intelligence communities, it is indisputable that Russia — and Putin, a man Trump once said he wanted to be his “best friend” — were behind the hack and the manipulation of our election.
Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow – if so, will he become my new best friend?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2013
Guess what, Mr. Trump? Putin is your “best friend,” and he proved it by helping you attack our democracy. Proud?
Featured image via Getty Images (Joe Raedle)/screengrab