25 Times Trump Was Soft On Russia

(CNN)President Donald Trump has an Achilles’ heel when it comes to Russia.

Over the years, he’s made no secret that he has a soft spot for the country and its authoritarian leader, President Vladimir Putin. Trump has proved that he is willing to reject widely held US foreign policy views and align himself with the Kremlin on everything from Russian interference in US elections to the war in Syria.

Trump’s ties to Russians were so concerning that the FBI believed there was good reason to investigate potential collusion between his 2016 campaign and the Kremlin. Counterintelligence investigators also examined whether Trump himself was somehow a Russian asset. (Special counsel Robert Mueller did not establish a criminal conspiracy of collusion.)

In Trump’s eyes, these allegations are proof of a conspiracy against him by Democratic lawmakers and other “deep state” enemies in the US government. He bombastically declared last year, “There’s never been a president as tough on Russia as I have been.”

But that claim is simply false, based on Trump’s actions over the last few years. Here’s a full breakdown of 25 occasions when Trump was soft on Russia or gave Putin a boost.

And this is NOT a complete list!!!

Trump has repeatedly praised Putin.
Trump hired Manafort to run his campaign.
Trump suggested Russia can keep Crimea
Trump aides softened GOP platform on Ukraine
Trump made light of Russian hacking
Trump denied that Russia interfered in 2016
Trump transition undermined Russian sanctions
Trump was open to lifting Russian sanctions
Trump refused to say Putin is a killer
Trump mulled giving spy compounds to Russia
Trump gave Russia classified intelligence in the Oval Office
Trump was reluctant to sign Russian sanctions
Trump thanked Putin for expelling hundreds of US diplomats from Russia in August 2017
Trump criticized and alienated NATO allies
Trump eased sanctions on Deripaska
Trump congratulated Putin on his sham election
Trump defended USSR invasion of Afghanistan in 1979
Trump praised pro-Russian leaders in Europe
Trump didn’t publicly condemn Russian attack against Ukrainian military vessels
Trump wanted to let Russia back in the G7
Trump’s Syria withdrawal gave Putin a boost
Trump repeated Kremlin talking points on ISIS
Trump spread Russian myths about Ukraine
Trump temporarily froze US aid for Ukraine
Trump considered visiting Putin on Russian soil