Obama ambassador rips Trump’s negotiating skills for offering Putin ‘something for nothing’

The former ambassador to Russia ridiculed President Donald Trump's negotiating skills during a Monday appearance on MSNBC.

Ambassador Michael McFaul was interviewed on "Hardball" by Chris Matthews.

"Ambassador McFaul, your thoughts on what the Russians must think at the highest levels at this American president operating as their agent?" Matthews asked.

"Well, they’re delighted by it, of course, because it divides the G7. And it divides the G7 at a time when we could actually really use unity, on how to deal with the global economy, how to deal with China. Instead, we’re having ridiculous -- I want to emphasize that adjective -- ridiculous discussions about inviting Vladimir Putin back to the G8," McFaul replied.

"You know, I’m not — I didn’t write Art of the Deal, but I did do some diplomacy," he noted.

"I don’t understand why President Trump continues to offer something for nothing. Why is that a good deal for the American people? Let’s let him come back in for nothing? He has to do nothing," McFaul said. "Obviously, nobody else is going to agree with him and I really cannot understand why the president continues to double and triple down on this courtship -- this fawning -- of Vladimir Putin."

"As I mentioned earlier, the president suggested he may host next year's G7 Summit -- somebody’s laughing already -- at his Trump National Doral golf resort near Miami, despite concerns it would violate the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause prohibiting officers of the U.S. government from accepting a thing of value from a foreign state..." Matthews said.

"Well, today the president downplayed ethical concerns he would profit off the event and turned today’s news conference into an infomercial. Here he is like a pitchman on the Atlantic City boardwalk selling Vegematics -- in this case his Doral country club," the host said, playing a clip of Trump bragging about Doral's "magnificent buildings with "very luxurious rooms" including some of the biggest ballrooms in Florida.

The host blasted the president.

"This is the marketing director for dural in the guise of a U.S. president and world leader," Matthews said.

"Since when do we need ballrooms for G7 Summits?" McFaul asked.

"I have a suggestion. There is this place called Camp David," he suggested. "I don’t know if the president’s heard of it, he’s been there a few times. It’s a government property, fantastic security. President Obama hosted the G8 summit there in 2012. I think that’s a fantastic alternative."

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