Americans still deserve to know what Trump said to Putin

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock)

Nothing that happened during today's meeting between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to make the same kind of splash as the 2018 Helsinki summit between Putin and then-President Donald Trump. That was the meetup where Trump so memorably rolled over and showed his belly to the Russian leader, siding with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies on Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election.

"I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today," Trump said to reporters. It was a stunning moment, and a number of leading Republicans even harshly criticized Trump — but then went on with business as usual.

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a freelance writer who has spent nine years as a syndicated columnist, co-writing the RedBlueAmerica column as the liberal half of a point-counterpoint duo. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic, The Kansas City Star and Heatmap News. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.