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Trump’s meeting with Putin is about ratings not diplomacy
It is easy to get lost in the forest of news, Tweets, and events that swamps our brains now on a daily basis. Last week Trump was lambasting Europe and undermining NATO, insulting the Queen, and pissing off most of the UK. This week, after annoying Scotland, he is in Finland to meet Vladimir Putin. It feels like ages ago that he was in Singapore, meeting the North Korean dictator. I don’t even have the energy to keep up with the Tweeting, raging, and daily outrages that are his new normal when he’s back at the White House.
If you had any doubt about Trump, and began to think he may actually have some hidden skills that underpin his diplomatic rants, watch Theresa May as she reveals that the ‘ brilliant advice’ Trump gave her on Brexit was to sue the EU and walk away from negotiations. Maybe this smirking admission was her subtle (British) revenge for the way he undermined her, insulted her, and manhandled her during 48 hours after which she must have had several hot showers.
Because he is now playing the part of President* and travels around in absurd convoys of black cars, big planes, and fleets of helicopters, it’s easy to forget he is the insecure, bullying narcisist who used to Tweet about his ratings when he was playing the part of a successful businessman on TV.
