If Vladimir Putin ran the United States, what would he want?

He’d want the US to pull out of NATO. Donald Trump has pushed for that.

He’d want sanctions lifted from Russian oligarchs. The Trump administration just lifted them on a company of an oligarch tied to Paul Manafort — he “no longer runs the company,” or something like that. Trump presumably would have lifted them on others, but Congress passed a block on that with a veto-proof majority.

He’d want the US government so dysfunctional that it shut down. Well, thanks again, Trump.

He’d want the US out of Syria. Indeed, against the recommendation of practically everyone in the Republican Party as well as the Democratic Party, Trump decided to pull troops out of Syria. He’s now claiming ISIS is defeated, even though it isn’t, and Vice President Mike Pence made the same claim hours after 4 Americans were killed in a suicide bombing ISIS claimed it performed.

He’d want the US to break bonds and trust with all of its allies. Trump does that practically every day.

He’d want the US to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump did that almost immediately after taking office.

If Russia showed some unacceptable military aggression with its neighbors, he’d want the US to stay out of it. Trump didn’t say a thing.

He’d want the US to pull out of the Paris climate accord. Trump set that in motion, which would make the US the only country in the world not in the partnership.

He’d want the US President to repeatedly praise him and never criticize them. Trump’s like a parrot promoting Putin.

Honestly, is there anything Russia wants that Trump hasn’t done or tried to do?

Image by DonkeyHotey (CC BY-SA 2.0 license)