By John Q. Hosedrinker 
California Governor Gavin Newsom strongly criticized former President Donald Trump, accusing him of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Newsom made these remarks while urging California voters to approve mid-cycle redistricting to counter Republican efforts in Texas to redraw congressional maps. Trump is set to meet with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, a move Newsom found alarming. The White House responded, criticizing Newsom’s policies and accusing him of supporting the current administration’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
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Gavin Newsom Accuses Donald Trump of “Bending His Knee” to Vladimir Putin
Okay, so this is about Gavin Newsom’s take on Donald Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin, and the core of it is pretty clear: Newsom’s basically saying Trump is showing excessive deference to Putin. The phrase used, “bending the knee,” is a strong visual, isn’t it? It implies a subservient position, a willingness to submit to Putin’s will.
The comments paint a picture of this being a long-standing issue, not just a recent development. The suggestion is that Trump has been “bending the knee” for years, even going back to his early business aspirations in Moscow. It brings up this idea of Trump wanting to build a Trump Tower there, which seems to be framed as a sign of his early admiration and possibly, a desire to appease Putin. Some comments seem to imply a more extreme interpretation, saying it goes much deeper than just bending the knee.
One common sentiment is that this isn’t even really an “accusation” but more of an observation of fact. It’s portrayed as something that’s been evident for a while. The idea is that Trump is, in a very public way, aligning himself with Putin’s interests, even at the expense of the United States’ own. There’s a sense that Trump is being “outplayed” because he is an “ignoramus,” “a nimrod,” and “a failure,” and therefore easily manipulated.
The overall tone of these comments is critical, with a focus on the perceived negative implications of Trump’s actions. Some of the comments are quite blunt. They don’t mince words, and use graphic language. The extreme comments don’t present it just as political, but as a matter of fact. The comments touch on the potential for economic deals and concessions to Russia.
It’s also brought up that the media, or at least some parts of it, might be ignoring these facts. Some of the comments express frustration that these things aren’t being discussed more openly, as if there’s a deliberate effort to downplay Trump’s relationship with Putin.
The article also acknowledges that Newsom may have his own political motivations in saying this. There’s a suggestion that Newsom is positioning himself for a future presidential run, and that this criticism of Trump could be part of that.
One of the commenters made the statement that Gavin Newsom “bent the knee to Xi Jinping before his visit in 2023” which implies Newsom also shows deference to other powerful world leaders.
One of the comments references a statement made by Christian Martinez, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, who criticizes Newsom. The key takeaway from the statement is that Newsom is using the criticism to advance his own political agenda. This shows how both sides of the political spectrum are using the other to play the “power game.”
The comment section also suggests that Trump is a “Russian asset.” The implication being that Trump is doing Putin’s bidding, whether knowingly or unknowingly. It suggests Putin has leverage over Trump, perhaps even control.
The whole thing seems to boil down to the idea that Trump is not acting in the best interests of the United States when it comes to Russia. It suggests that his actions, whether intentional or not, benefit Putin. This is serious stuff. It challenges the very idea of who has the United States’ best interests at heart.