# Is Donald Trump a Putin patsy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 25, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875 "2016-07-25T19:00:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/221 "2016-07-27T18:24:49Z")
Isn’t Trump basically openly requesting Russia to do the updated version of what ended Nixon’s presidency? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/222 "2016-07-27T18:28:13Z")
Water off a duck’s back. His followers like that he “says what he says” and the content of what he says is meaningless, as long as it pisses someone off. I can’t think of anything, except maybe, “once I’m president I’m banning white people from owning guns” that would change any minds already supporting him. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/223 "2016-07-27T18:28:50Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Nope. FOX News says he’s just joking. Of course FoxNews would say that. It was mentioned in one of the other threads that a Trump mouthpiece said he was _not_ joking. For what that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/224 "2016-07-27T18:29:02Z")
Trump is also now claiming that he’s never even met Putin. > **[Trump Now Says He Never Met Putin After Bragging About Chats With Him](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-never-met-putin-fact-check)** > > Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has never actually met Russian President Vladimir Putin despite bragging multiple times recently about conversations he has had with him. "He said one nice thing… > [@Donald J. Trump](#): > > Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has never actually met Russian President Vladimir Putin despite bragging multiple times recently about conversations he has had with him. > > “He said one nice thing about me. He said I’m a genius. I said thank you very much to the newspaper and that was the end of it. I never met Putin,” Trump said. Of course, he’s lying through his teeth. He’s spoken before about how he and Vlad are good friends. We really are all just marks to him, aren’t we? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/225 "2016-07-27T18:34:23Z")
He can say that they’re friends all he wants, but in fact that statement appears to be true. They have not met. According to multiple sources I have found, both Putin and Trump claim to have never met. At least a few Putin lackeys and bagmen has met Trump on at lest one occasion, but they have not met face to face. Until recently, why would Vladimir Putin have wanted to meet Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/226 "2016-07-27T18:35:01Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Trump is also now claiming that he’s never even met Putin. Why stop there? Now he’s claiming he [doesn’t](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-putin-russia_us_5798e7b4e4b02d5d5ed3d2fc) even know who Putin is. “I never met Putin. I don’t know who Putin is,” the Republican presidential nominee said Wednesday at a Florida news conference. “He said one nice thing about me. He said I’m a genius. I said ‘Thank you very much’ to the newspaper, and that was the end of it. I never met Putin.” ---
**Author:** ![Crybaby\_Boobie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crybaby_boobie/32/545_2.png) [@Crybaby\_Boobie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crybaby_Boobie)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/227 "2016-07-27T18:35:10Z")
What I am reading on other boards (yes, I go to other boards, sorry) is that this is a great move for Trump that the Democrats swallowed hook, line and sinker. That of course he was joking, and now everyone will talk about Hillary’s emails again and oh what fools they are. This is why I think we are doomed. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/228 "2016-07-27T18:40:24Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Now, the next step of proving that it came directly from Russian government is a little more challenging, but not impossible. You look for patterns, styles, methodology, and also consider Cui Bono (who benefits). One of the first links I provided on page 1, the David Sanger NYT article, states that the group which did the hacking is tied to GRU. That’s the “Main Intelligence Directory”, a department of the Russian military’s General Staff, which is sort of an analog to the US Pentagon. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/229 "2016-07-27T18:40:53Z")
Basing real-world ideas on posters on the internet is a recipe for misapprehension. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/230 "2016-07-27T18:43:22Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Why stop there? Now he’s claiming he [doesn’t](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-putin-russia_us_5798e7b4e4b02d5d5ed3d2fc) even know who Putin is. > > “I never met Putin. I don’t know who Putin is,” the Republican presidential nominee said Wednesday at a Florida news conference. “He said one nice thing about me. He said I’m a genius. I said ‘Thank you very much’ to the newspaper, and that was the end of it. I never met Putin.” And of course Trump is lying when he claims that Putin called him “a genius”: > [@](#): > > Trump frequently claims that Putin called him a genius. He said it in an interview with Bill O’Reilly on Fox News on April 28. And in an April 29 radio interview with Michael Savage. And during a town hall interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on April 4. And during a campaign event in South Carolina in February. > > Trump is basing his claim on comments Putin made during a press scrum in December, when Putin was asked what he thought about Trump. > According to a translation by Russia Insider, which uploaded the video, Putin responded, “He’s a very colorful person. Talented, without any doubt. But it’s not our affair to determine his worthiness — that’s up to the United States voters. But he is absolutely the leader in the presidential race. He wants to move to a different level of relations, to more solid, deeper relations with Russia. And how can Russia not welcome that — we welcome that. As for his internal political issues and the turn of speech which he uses to raise his popularity, I repeat, it’s not our affair to evaluate them.” > > It’s the word “colorful” in the first sentence of that translation that is at issue here. > The Washington Post‘s Kessler found various media outlets provided slightly different translations of it. Some said Putin called Trump “colorful,” others “lively” or “flamboyant.” [Putin Did Not Call Trump a 'Genius' - FactCheck.org](http://www.factcheck.org/2016/05/putin-did-not-call-trump-a-genius/) ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/231 "2016-07-27T18:47:13Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Nope. FOX News says he’s just joking. Because it was said in jest. Are you guys really be that fearful of a Trump presidemcy? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/232 "2016-07-27T18:48:01Z")
> [@Crybaby\_Boobie](#): > > What I am reading on other boards (yes, I go to other boards, sorry) is that this is a great move for Trump that the Democrats swallowed hook, line and sinker. That of course he was joking, and now everyone will talk about Hillary’s emails again and oh what fools they are. > This is why I think we are doomed. It’s undeniable that there is a small core of “Trump is the Savior” true-believers who will never be swayed from their religious fervor for him–not by _anything_. They will always find some way to convince themselves that damning information is a positive for their idol. But there is a huge proportion of the electorate who are not quite so dedicated to closing their eyes and ears. Many of them will be bothered by this story. It’s a question of continuing to expose Trump for what he is, again and again and again. Each new exposure loses him a few votes. There is hope in that. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/233 "2016-07-27T18:53:00Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because it was said in jest. Are you guys really be that fearful of a Trump presidemcy? a) No it was not. There have been Republican reactions to this from Pence, Ryan, etc. that show it was most certainly not said “in jest”. I know that it’s the last hope for the Republicans, to simply claim that every crazy-ass thing that spews from Trumps’ pie hole is a joke, that we can simply ignore Trump’s words (please, dear God, don’t pay any attention to him, just vote for him!). Not going to work. b) It’s not a fucking joking matter. A funny-man entertaining clown has no place being president. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/234 "2016-07-27T18:53:14Z")
During his press conference, after he asked for Russia to hack the State Department servers, NBC reporter Katy Tur asked him if he had any qualms about asking a foreign government to hack into any systems in this country, and his reply was, “I know you want to save her. Be quiet.” > **[Donald Trump to NBC’s Katy Tur: ‘Be Quiet!’](https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-to-nbcs-katy-tur-be-quiet)** > > During his fiery and bizarre press conference Wednesday, the GOP nominee once again swatted away NBC’s Katy Tur. I wonder if he would have said that to a male reporter who wasn’t a minority or handicapped. ---
**Author:** ![TheSeaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/235 "2016-07-27T18:53:20Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because it was said in jest. Are you guys really be that fearful of a Trump presidemcy? No, it wasn’t. And yes, I am. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/236 "2016-07-27T18:55:40Z")
Last time I checked, wasn’t colluding with a foreign government considered treason? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/237 "2016-07-27T18:58:40Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because it was said in jest. Are you guys really be that fearful of a Trump presidemcy? He repeated it on Twitter. And yes, I am terrified of a Trump presidency. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/238 "2016-07-27T18:58:50Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because it was said in jest. Are you guys really be that fearful of a Trump presidemcy? Welcome back! We’ve missed you oh so much! ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/239 "2016-07-27T18:59:17Z")
Is encouraging espionage in any way a crime? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875/240 "2016-07-27T19:01:55Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because it was said in jest. Are you guys really be that fearful of a Trump presidemcy? Will no one rid Trump of these turbulent journalists? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-a-putin-patsy/760875.md?page=13)