Trump Tweets Strange Warning Of 'Coming Arms Race,' Suggests Russia Can Help

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday about his decision to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election. (Photo: Sputnik Photo Agency/Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday about his decision to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election. (Photo: Sputnik Photo Agency/Reuters)

President Donald Trump on Wednesday tweeted a bizarre and ominous defense of his widely criticized decision to congratulate Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who was re-elected on Sunday.

Despite an explicit, all-caps warning from his advisers to “NOT CONGRATULATE” Putin ― likely because Trump’s campaign aides are under investigation for alleged collusion with Moscow ― Trump called him up and the pair had what he described as “a very good call.”

“Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing,” Trump tweeted. “They can help solve problems with North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, ISIS, Iran and even the coming Arms Race ... PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”

It’s not clear what “coming arms race” he’s referring to ― rising tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have started to simmer since Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arranged a meeting to be held in May to negotiate the isolated nation’s denuclearization.

Meanwhile, Putin unveiled his country’s new, “invincible” nuclear weapons earlier this month and claimed they could reach “anywhere in the world.” He used visual presentations to show off their purported strength, including one that appeared to show missiles raining down over Florida. The U.S. State Department responded by saying the veiled threat did not represent “the behavior of a responsible international player.”

It’s also unclear how, exactly, Trump expects Russia to “help solve problems” in Ukraine. Under Putin’s rule, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, which sparked a violent political crisis. Putin visited Crimea this month to rally additional support ahead of his election, which Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko decried as “a dangerous provocation.”

And Trump’s suggestion that Russia can “help” with Syria is equally puzzling. Moscow continues to back the Syrian regime’s slaughter and besiegement of its own citizens. Russian airstrikes, including indiscriminate attacks on hospitals and school buildings, have demolished Syrian neighborhoods and killed thousands of civilians in the war-torn country with impunity. Experts say Russia avoided targeting areas controlled by the Islamic State group for much of its intervention in Syria, instead focusing on rebel-held areas in an effort to prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad.

MSNBC national security analyst Clint Watts described Trump’s assertion that Russia can “help” the U.S. as simply “ridiculous.”

″[Trump] says they could help us? What we’re doing is helping [Putin],” Watts said. “The Russians are laughing at us that we are moving back from the world stage, and they are moving forward ― taking whatever they want without any resistance.”

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Russian President Vladimir Putin relaxes during a hunting and fishing trip on Aug. 1-3, 2017, in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, in this photo released by the Kremlin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin relaxes during a hunting and fishing trip on Aug. 1-3, 2017, in the republic of Tyva in southern Siberia, in this photo released by the Kremlin.
Putin carries a hunting rifle in Tyva on Aug. 15, 2007.
Putin carries a hunting rifle in Tyva on Aug. 15, 2007.
Putin (top) attends a judo training session at the Top Athletic School in St. Petersburg on Dec. 18, 2009.
Putin (top) attends a judo training session at the Top Athletic School in St. Petersburg on Dec. 18, 2009.
Putin aims at a whale with an arbalest in order to take a piece of its skin for analysis on Aug. 25, 2010.
Putin aims at a whale with an arbalest in order to take a piece of its skin for analysis on Aug. 25, 2010.
Putin swims in a lake in Tyva on Aug. 3, 2009.
Putin swims in a lake in Tyva on Aug. 3, 2009.
Putin prepares for snorkeling during his August 2017 visit to Tyva.
Putin prepares for snorkeling during his August 2017 visit to Tyva.
Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev fit in a workout at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on Aug. 30, 2015.
Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev fit in a workout at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on Aug. 30, 2015.
Putin rides a horse in the Karatash foothills in Siberia on Feb. 25, 2010.
Putin rides a horse in the Karatash foothills in Siberia on Feb. 25, 2010.
Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ride a boat in Tyva in August 2017.
Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ride a boat in Tyva in August 2017.
Putin takes part in a judo training session at the Moscow sports complex in St. Petersburg on Dec. 22, 2010. He was given tips on pushing his hips forward and how to use his left hand by his longtime judo coach during a sparring session.
Putin takes part in a judo training session at the Moscow sports complex in St. Petersburg on Dec. 22, 2010. He was given tips on pushing his hips forward and how to use his left hand by his longtime judo coach during a sparring session.
Putin plays badminton with Medvedev in the Gorky House outside Moscow on June 11, 2011.
Putin plays badminton with Medvedev in the Gorky House outside Moscow on June 11, 2011.
Putin goes horse riding topless in southern Siberia on Aug. 3, 2009.
Putin goes horse riding topless in southern Siberia on Aug. 3, 2009.
Putin does some gym work at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on Aug. 30, 2015.
Putin does some gym work at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on Aug. 30, 2015.
Putin goes scuba diving at an underwater archaeological site in the Greek Black Sea on Aug. 10, 2011.
Putin goes scuba diving at an underwater archaeological site in the Greek Black Sea on Aug. 10, 2011.
Putin fishes in the headwaters of the Yenisei River on the border of Mongolia on Aug. 13, 2007.
Putin fishes in the headwaters of the Yenisei River on the border of Mongolia on Aug. 13, 2007.
Putin takes aim with a model assault rifle at an electronic shooting range during his visit to a research facility of the national railway company in Moscow on April 26, 2012.
Putin takes aim with a model assault rifle at an electronic shooting range during his visit to a research facility of the national railway company in Moscow on April 26, 2012.
First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov looks on as Putin bowls at a new sports complex in Kamchatka on Sept. 5, 2007.
First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov looks on as Putin bowls at a new sports complex in Kamchatka on Sept. 5, 2007.
Putin (right) and Medvedev play badminton at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on Aug. 14, 2009.
Putin (right) and Medvedev play badminton at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on Aug. 14, 2009.
Putin holds a tranquilizer gun during a visit to the Ussuri reserve in Russia's far east on Aug. 31, 2008.
Putin holds a tranquilizer gun during a visit to the Ussuri reserve in Russia's far east on Aug. 31, 2008.
Putin scales a climbing wall during his visit to a summer camp run by the Nashi youth group at Lake Seliger in the central Tver region on Aug. 1, 2011.
Putin scales a climbing wall during his visit to a summer camp run by the Nashi youth group at Lake Seliger in the central Tver region on Aug. 1, 2011.
Putin, wearing a helmet and the uniform of the Renault Formula One team, prepares to drive a F1 race car on a special track outside St. Petersburg on Nov. 7, 2010.
Putin, wearing a helmet and the uniform of the Renault Formula One team, prepares to drive a F1 race car on a special track outside St. Petersburg on Nov. 7, 2010.
Putin plays a gala ice hockey match in the night hockey league in Sochi on May 10, 2017.
Putin plays a gala ice hockey match in the night hockey league in Sochi on May 10, 2017.
Putin holds a fish he caught during an August 2017 trip to Tyva in southern Siberia.
Putin holds a fish he caught during an August 2017 trip to Tyva in southern Siberia.
Putin visits a reserve for Przewalski's horses outside Orenburg on Oct. 3, 2016.
Putin visits a reserve for Przewalski's horses outside Orenburg on Oct. 3, 2016.
Putin visits a reserve for Przewalski's horses outside Orenburg on Oct. 3, 2016.
Putin visits a reserve for Przewalski's horses outside Orenburg on Oct. 3, 2016.
Putin and Medvedev visit the cave of Arctic Pilots Glacier in Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land on March 29, 2017.
Putin and Medvedev visit the cave of Arctic Pilots Glacier in Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land on March 29, 2017.
Putin watches a display during the MAKS 2017 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on July 18, 2017.
Putin watches a display during the MAKS 2017 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, on July 18, 2017.
Vladimir Putin visits the cave of Arctic Pilots Glacier in Alexandra Land in the remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land on March 29, 2017.
Vladimir Putin visits the cave of Arctic Pilots Glacier in Alexandra Land in the remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land on March 29, 2017.
Putin poses for a photo during a trip to Tyva in early August 2017. 
Putin poses for a photo during a trip to Tyva in early August 2017. 
Putin (left) waves onboard a Mir-2 mini-submersible in which he intended to dive into the depths of Lake Baikal on Aug. 1, 2009, descending 4,600 feet below the surface of the world's deepest lake to inspect valuable gas crystals.
Putin (left) waves onboard a Mir-2 mini-submersible in which he intended to dive into the depths of Lake Baikal on Aug. 1, 2009, descending 4,600 feet below the surface of the world's deepest lake to inspect valuable gas crystals.
Putin stands at the wheel of a motorboat in Tyva on Aug. 3, 2009.
Putin stands at the wheel of a motorboat in Tyva on Aug. 3, 2009.
Putin stands with a gun at a shooting gallery of the new GRU military intelligence headquarters building in Moscow on Nov. 8, 2006.
Putin stands with a gun at a shooting gallery of the new GRU military intelligence headquarters building in Moscow on Nov. 8, 2006.

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