Swalwell Critiques Trump’s Meeting with Putin
Representative Eric Swalwell from California expressed that former President Trump was “fully played” by Russian President Vladimir Putin during their recent summit in Alaska.
In a Saturday interview on CNN, Swalwell condemned Trump’s approach to Putin, highlighting concerns that global leaders are beginning to doubt the US’s commitment to defending democracy worldwide.
“President Putin completely outmaneuvered Trump, which reflects Trump’s choice to withhold the Epstein Files and engage in some scripted anti-programming,” Swalwell stated. “This has weakened America’s standing, as perceived internationally, and frankly, it was humiliating for Trump himself.”
During the summit, Trump welcomed Putin warmly and praised Russian officials as they arrived on the red carpet at a US military base. The two leaders shook hands, and Putin was seen riding in Trump’s presidential limousine as they headed to discuss matters related to the conflict in Ukraine.
Swalwell remarked that he wished Trump would have approached the meeting with a different attitude, particularly during his appearance on CNN’s Strength show.
“I want peace in the region, and I believe the way to achieve it is through unity and showcasing strength against aggressors like Russia. Instead, what I witnessed was Trump basically toasting Putin as if he had won a Lifetime Achievement Award,” Swalwell said. “That doesn’t bolster our strength.”
“Now, as we’ve spoken to European leaders recently, there’s significant worry about democracy in the West, extending beyond just Ukraine,” he added.
This commentary came ahead of a Monday meeting at the White House, where Trump was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials to outline the next steps in response to the summit with Putin.
On Saturday, Trump stirred controversy by stating after a conversation with Zelensky and European leaders that “the only decision made was to end the peace deal, and it’s not a ceasefire deal, not a ceasefire deal at all.”
