Alexander Hamilton expressed the following in the Federalist Papers in 1788:
“Nothing is more to be desired than that every practical obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue, and corruption. These most deadly adversaries of republican government might naturally have been expected to make their approaches from the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils. How could they better gratify this than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the union?”
Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers to support the ratification of the Constitution by the 13 former colonies, then independent states. But in writing this passage Hamilton today seems to have been peering into the future. Isn’t that exactly what President Donald J. Trump is, a “creature” of Vladimir Putin, president of Russia? Afraid to contradict him; accepting Putin’s view of possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election publicly against the findings of his own intelligence agencies; meeting with him with no other Americans present and refusing to report what was discussed; he “always finds a way to let Putin win.” This conclusion served as the title of an article in the Washington Post Outlook section on July 5 by former Ambassador Michael McFaul.
That article begins as follows, commenting on an incident already widely reported by many news services: “Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have paid Taliban rebels in Afghanistan to kill U.S. soldiers. Having resulted in one American death and maybe more, these Russian bounties reportedly produced the desired outcome. While deeply disturbing, this effort led by Putin is not surprising. It follows a clear pattern of ignoring international norms, rules and laws—and daring the United States to do anything about it…. More alarming is President Trump’s response: nothing. This too follows a pattern of fealty before Putin, as the president has consistently praised Putin, dismissed Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, never criticized Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and uttered not a word about violation of human rights and growing atrocities.”
Trump claims he was never briefed on the matter and his national security council spokesman has stated that “the veracity of the allegations continue to be evaluated.” But on February 27 this information did appear in the Presidential Daily Brief. According to Ambassador McFaul who worked at the National Security Council before his appointment to Russia, “only the most serious intelligence findings [appear] in that most precious of intelligence products.” All presidents before Trump tried to read the PDB first thing every day. But even if Trump didn’t read the February 27 briefing—he reads almost nothing which explains a lot—his national security advisor who also gets the PDB has an obligation to discuss it with him. Perhaps Trump was truly unaware of this intelligence before it became public, but as soon as he was made aware of it, without even reviewing it, he promptly labeled it as “just another hoax” clearly indicating that his allegiance is to Putin not to his own intelligence officials and to American soldiers serving the country in a war situation. This behavior is demonstrably a direct threat to American independence and American democracy. For any other president it would have meant instant impeachment. But most Republicans in Congress enable and cover up this blatant anti-American behavior. Four more years of such deference will reduce the United States to a vassal of Russia.
Another Founder also had something to say about this sort of authority.
“We should be unfaithful to ourselves, if we should ever lose sight of the danger to our liberties, if anything partial or extraneous should infect the purity of our free, fair, virtuous and independent elections. If an election is to be determined by a majority of a single vote and that, can be procured by a party, through artifice or corruption, the government may be the choice of a party, for its own ends, not of the nation for the national good. If that solitary suffrage can be obtained by foreign nations by flattery or menace, by fraud or violence, by terror intrigue or venality, the government may not b– 1797e the choice of the America people, but of foreign nations. It may be foreign nations who govern us, and not We the People who govern ourselves.” – John Adams, 1797
Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. – George Washington, 1796
John Jay