Gen. Kelly should resign in protest after Trump praises Putin in Finland

Every Republican, every Democrat, every liberal, every conservative and every American of all political persuasions — especially every Republican leader in Congress — should roundly denounce the disgraceful comments by President Trump in his press conference Monday with Vladimir Putin, the Russian dictator who continues his attacks against American elections and American democracy.

Congressional leaders and members in both parties should enact a detailed motion of censure against Trump for his attacks against special counsel Robert Mueller, his attacks against the investigations of Russia’s attack on America, his attacks against the FBI and, above all, his reprehensible comments when standing next to Putin at his press conference Monday.

Every democratic leader in the world and every intelligence service in democratic nations must have been cringing with horror and disgust as Trump spoke Monday.

{mosads}Barely days ago, special counsel Mueller brought detailed criminal indictments against a dozen Russian military officers for attacking American democracy. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats issued a detailed red alert warning about the continuing Russian attacks.

Yet, Trump insulted the entire American intelligence and counterintelligence community Monday and essentially gave Putin the green light to continue his attacks against American democracy.

Trump falsely stated Monday that Putin’s denial of the Russian attack was powerful, when in fact, what is powerful was the evidence included in the indictments of Russian military officers for attacking America.

What is powerful is the evidence presented, again and again, from the entire American law enforcement and intelligence communities that proved the Russian attack beyond any reasonable doubt.

It is high time for some high-level official, namely White House chief of staff and retired Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly, to resign in protest against Trump’s Russia policy, his attacks against the Russia investigations and his appeasement of the Russian dictator who continues his attacks against America today. 

Gen. Kelly has a duty to speak his mind right now, to resign in protest right now and to tell the American people the truth right now, before the midterm elections, about the danger of the Russian attacks against America and the danger to America of Trump’s adamant refusal to protect the nation from these attacks.

It was shameful for Trump to attack the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and to undermine and attack its leaders, including including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May. 

It was unconscionable for Trump to use language in Europe that would virtually align the United States with far-right, extremist and, in some cases, racist political factions in Europe.

It was grossly inappropriate and reprehensible for Trump to use language about cultural unity in Europe being destroyed by immigrants that dovetailed with racist appeals from far-right parties.

As Trump insulted NATO at a breakfast, it was ugly to watch the obvious disgust of Gen. Kelly as Trump spoke. Instead of making understandable and ugly physical gestures, Gen. Kelly should take an act of conscience and resign in protest and tell the nation the truth about the damage Trump is doing to American and global security.

It was staggering to watch Trump at his press conference Monday continue to bad mouth the FBI, continue to attack investigations of the Russian attack and continue to distrust, disregard and insult the unequivocal findings of the entire American law enforcement, intelligence and counterintelligence communities.

It was stunning to watch the president of the United States, in the presence of the Russian dictator who attacks America, virtually endorse the Russian denial of its attack while insulting those who defend America from that attack.

Congress should censure Trump. Gen. Kelly should resign in protest from his post at the White House.

For any member of the House or Senate who fails to condemn Trump’s appeasement of Putin and defend America from the Russian attacks against America, voters should throw those bums out in the midterm elections in November.

Brent Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the U.S. House of Representatives. He holds an LLM in international financial law from the London School of Economics.