President Trump did not follow specific warnings from his national security advisers Tuesday when he congratulated Russian President VladiÂmir Putin on his reelection — including a section in his briefing materials in all-capital letters stating “DO NOT CONGRATULATE,†according to officials familiar with the call.
Trump also chose not to heed talking points from aides instructing him to condemn the recent poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain with a powerful nerve agent, a case that both the British and U.S. governments have blamed on Moscow.
The president’s conversation with Putin, which Trump described as a “very good call,†prompted fresh criticism of his muted tone toward one of the United States’ biggest geopolitical rivals amid the special counsel investigation into Russia’s election interference and the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russian officials.
The inability to use proper English plagues many presidents ... of middle school homerooms.@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/Kjl82BMSN3
— Col. Morris Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) March 21, 2018
Will the third time be the charm for @realDonaldTrump ... he went from 5 mistakes in his original tweet down to 3 mistakes in his rewrite.@Morning_Joe pic.twitter.com/P3dOFk6ZY3
— Col. Morris Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) March 21, 2018