By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Representative Don Bacon (R-Neb.) criticized Donald Trump’s approach to Russia, calling it “terrible” and condemning his disparaging comments about Europe. Bacon, a vocal critic of Trump, specifically took issue with Trump’s perceived favorable stance towards Russia while denigrating European allies. Bacon has also criticized Trump’s handling of the Ukraine-Russia war and his rhetoric toward European leaders, including his endorsement of a proposed peace plan that would cede Ukrainian territory to Russia. He believes this plan rewards the invader and does not guarantee peace.
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So, here’s the deal: a GOP congressman, Don Bacon, essentially told Donald Trump to stop cozying up to Russia. He didn’t mince words, which is pretty rare these days, and said, in so many words, that Trump needs to quit “kissing Russia’s a–.” Now, let’s unpack that.
The situation seems pretty clear: a Republican is publicly calling out his own party’s leader for what many people see as an unhealthy obsession with Vladimir Putin and, by extension, Russia. The consensus seems to be that Trump’s actions and rhetoric favor Russia, perhaps even at the expense of the United States. Whether it’s perceived as actual treason, or a calculated strategic play, or simply an unfortunate outcome of naivete in regard to Putin is up for debate. But the implication from many is that there is something very wrong with Trump’s stance on Russia. The congressman, perhaps feeling the political pressure of the moment, or genuinely concerned about the state of affairs, decided to speak up.
The crux of the matter appears to be that Trump seems to go out of his way to align with Russia’s interests. He’s criticized for wanting out of NATO, which, for many, is a direct win for Putin. The accusations include Trump prioritizing Russia’s interests over those of the United States and its allies. There’s a common thread that suggests Trump admires Putin and his style of leadership, almost as if he’s trying to emulate it.
There are various theories as to why Trump seems so keen on Russia. Some speculate about compromising information, possibly through blackmail or other means. Others think he’s simply on the take, bought and paid for by Russian interests. Some believe he’s just so beholden to Putin that he is unable to go against him. Still others, suggest he genuinely admires Putin, seeing him as a strong leader, and wants a similar style for the U.S. There is an interesting theory that Trump sees himself as a strongman, and Putin as a peer.
The critics point out that Russia is struggling right now, and Trump is acting in a way that is helping a struggling adversary. This seems counterintuitive and makes many question his motives. Instead of supporting Ukraine, as many in the world are doing, and pressing an advantage against a desperate adversary, Trump and his envoy are, to put it bluntly, kowtowing to Putin.
One of the more interesting aspects of the whole situation is the notion of a ‘human centipede’ of sorts. In this metaphor, the Republican party is stuck to Trump, who is stuck to Russia. The idea is that everyone is inextricably linked and in a compromising position. It’s an interesting analogy for how some people perceive the current political landscape.
Of course, the whole thing is not a universally accepted view. Some suggest that Trump is simply playing politics, that all of this is “just his job.” Others suspect that Trump is simply putting up a show to keep his base engaged, while privately, he may hold different views. Still others dismiss it as meaningless, pointing out that one congressman’s criticism doesn’t necessarily change anything.
The implication is that Trump is making terrible choices. He is sacrificing the interests of the United States. He is getting nothing in return. There are questions about whether Trump is being manipulated, or if he has a long-term goal that is beneficial to Russia. Regardless, the bottom line is that a Republican congressman felt compelled to tell his party’s leader to stop getting so close to Russia. And that, in itself, is a very strong statement about the current state of affairs.