After Vladimir Putin’s temporary (for now) invasion of Alaska somehow went even more poorly than anyone predicted, the Trump administration sent out its Russian negotiating “dream team” to the Sunday shows to play clean-up.
SPOILER: It went about as well as the Putin/Trump Alaskan summit went.
After host Kristen Welker asked why the US is not imposing sanctions on Russia, despite Trump's threat to do so if talks failed, Rubio droned on about the ineffectiveness of such measures. But while Rubio tried to tell the audience we’re lucky to have “Donald the Dove” keeping Putin at bay, Welker showed a chart that undid that very point.
WELKER: Russian attacks on Ukraine have nearly doubled since President Trump came into office. And in fact, in July, Russia launched more than 6,000 missiles and drones. That's the highest amount of attacks since the war began.
Rubio then pivoted to the need for concessions for this “war” between Ukraine and Russia to end. While Rubio was able to enumerate what Ukraine should give up, he was very vague on anything Russia should give up.
WELKER: What will Russia have to give up? What concessions will Russia, the aggressor, have to make as a part of this peace agreement?
RUBIO: Well, that's – that’s what these negotiations are about. And as you can imagine, everybody goes into a negotiation wanting 100 percent of what they want. […]
WELKER: And I understand that these negotiations are ongoing. But can you name one thing that President Trump is asking Russia to give up in order to get peace?
RUBIO: Well, I'm not going to disclose those things because if we do, then you can imagine our negotiations could fall apart.
Rubio kept insisting they could make a deal with Putin to end the war and negotiate peace, but Welker decided to play a sound bite from an opposing voice: 2022 Marco Rubio.
2022 RUBIO: This guy lies, habitually lies. He's never kept a deal they've ever signed. And he lies all the time. And I don't know why, but he plays us like a – like a violin in the West because the West wants to believe that you can cut a deal with everybody. You can't cut a deal with guys like this. He's a professional, experienced liar.
This is not the first time Marco Rubio has given up any semblance of political beliefs for power and status, won’t be the last.
We all know the reason Russia would agree to this deal. They would be allowed to keep everything they’ve taken from Ukraine, and under Trump, that security guarantee would be as good as a Trump University diploma.
So far in Trump’s second administration, the only people whose lives have benefited materially are Putin and Ghislaine Maxwell.
