Ever since Donald Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for his handling of journalists (by killing them), the Republican nominee’s connections to Russia have come under intense scrutiny. His so-called “relationship” with the European leader was especially pressed during the Democratic National Convention, when Trump “sarcastically” asked Russian hackers to target Hillary Clinton in order to find her missing emails. Adding these transgressions to a laundry list of items Trump’s campaign has endured in the last week, many pundits are left wondering whether or not America could stand a Trump presidency.
Enter Michael J. Morell, acting director and deputy director of the CIA from 2010 to 2013. Like his predecessor, Leon Panetta, who spoke at the DNC in Philadelphia, Morell came out in support of Clinton’s presidential bid. In an op-ed written for the New York Times, Morell stressed he was “neither a registered Democrat nor a registered Republican,” and that he has “pulled the lever for candidates of both parties” while staying silent about his political preferences. Considering Trump’s lack of knowledge regarding world affairs, however, Morell decided to come out and endorse Clinton.
That, and bludgeon Trump’s viability as president with one of the most grandiose claims leveled against him yet:
In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.
Yes, that’s right. Per the Republican nominee’s past praise for Putin, and his recently touted ignorance regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Morell suggests Trump is nothing more than one of Putin’s pawns.
How long until Trump responds with an offhand critique of Morell’s past accomplishments with the agency? T minus 5, 4, 3…
Not that long, it turns out. For soon after Morell’s op-ed started trending, his campaign released a statement that doesn’t even mention Morell’s name or occupation. Instead, it simply identifies the former CIA chief as “another Obama-Clinton pawn (who is not independent)” that Democrats are using “to try to change the subject” following reports of a $400 million payment made to Iran in January.
Check out Trump’s full statement below.
NEW: @realDonaldTrump, in stmt to NBC, calls Morrell "Obama-Clinton pawn" for Dems trying to "change the subject" -> pic.twitter.com/yR4hWAtH5q
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) August 5, 2016
(Via New York Times)