On Monday's edition of CNN's "OutFront," former Nixon Library director Tim Naftali raked President Donald Trump over the coals for his embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin's propaganda and displays of strength.
"You're a historian," said host Jim Sciutto. "You see how the president has operated in the past. Putin has invited Trump to go to Moscow's Victory Day celebration, which is nominally a celebration of the victory in World War II but really in more recent years has been a celebration of Russian military might. For a U.S. president to accept that invitation, tell us how unusual, what the precedent would be, the message would be."
"You always want our president to interact with powerful foreign leaders," said Naftali. "The question is whether our president is representing U.S. national interest or representing his own interest. After all, that is at the heart of the entire impeachment issue."
"If the president is going to Russia simply to help cheerlead for Vladimir Putin, who has challenged security of Europe, who has undermined American goals in the Middle East, who has undermined U.S. goals in Latin America — let's not forget Russia has been supportive of the horrific regime in Venezuela — if you're there to cheerlead for that person, you're not cheerleading for U.S. national security," said Naftali.
Watch below:
