SERIOUS THING. >> WE WISH THEM WARMTH.
>> THANKS, LAWRENCE.
>> THANK YOU, RACHEL.
>> WELL, THE PLOT THICKENED
TODAY IN THE MYSTERY OF DONALD
TRUMP AND VLADIMIR PUTIN.
THE FINANCIAL TIMES REPORTED
LATE TODAY THAT DONALD TRUMP SAT
DOWN FOR A FIFTH -- FOR A
MEETING THAT WAS AT LEAST 15
MINUTES LONG WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN
AT THE G-20 SUMMIT IN NOVEMBER
AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP PUBLICLY
ANNOUNCED THAT HE CANCELED A
ONE-ON-ONE MEETING WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN AT THAT SAME SUMMIT
BECAUSE OF RECENT RUSSIAN
AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOT HAVE AN
AMERICAN TRANSLATOR OR A STAFF
NOTE TAKER WITH HIM IN THAT
MEETING.
MEETING. VLADIMIR PUTIN DID HAVE HIS
TRANSLATOR PRESENT, AND SO ONLY
THE RUSSIANS REALLY KNOW WHAT
WAS SAID IN THAT MEETING.
THE FINANCIAL TIMES REPORT CAME
AT THE END OF WHAT WAS AN
ALREADY HISTORIC DAY IN THE
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE ON
THIS VERY SUBJECT.
WHEN THE LEADERS OF AMERICA’S
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES REFUSED TO
PUBLICLY ANSWER THE QUESTION --
DOES THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES SECRET DISCUSSIONS WITH
VLADIMIR PUTIN PUT THE UNITED
STATES AT A DISADVANTAGE IN
DEALING WITH RUSSIA?
>> IT’S ACCORDING TO PRESS
REPORTS DONALD TRUMP MET
PRIVATELY WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN
AND NO ONE IN THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT HAS THE FULL STORY
ABOUT WHAT WAS DISCUSSED.
DIRECTOR HASKELL AND DIRECTOR
COATS, WOULD THIS PUT YOU IN A
DISADVANTAGED POSITION IN TERMS
OF UNDERSTANDING RUSSIA’S
EFFORTS TO ADVANCE ITS AGENDA
AGAINST THE UNITED STATES?
QUESTION FOR YOU TWO AND THEN
I’M OUT OF TIMES.
THANK YOU FOR LEVINGTTING ME HAV
RESPONSE.
RESPONSE. >> CLEARLY IT’S A SENSITIVE
ISSUE AND AN ISSUE WE OUGHT TO
TALK ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON.
LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THAT
IN A CLOSED SESSION.
>> THE HEARING ALSO MADE HISTORY
WHEN THE HEADS OF THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES IN THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION COMPLETELY
DISAGREED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
ON A SERIES OF NATIONAL SECURITY
ISSUES.
ISSUES. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, QUOTE,
THERE IS NO LONGER A NUCLEAR
THREAT FROM NORTH KOREA.
AND HERE IS WHAT HIS DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DAN COATS
AND DIRECTOR OF THE CIA GENA
HASPEL SAID ABOUT THAT TODAY.
>> WE CURRENTLY ASSESS NORTH
KOREA WILL SEEK TO RETAIN IT’S
WMD CAPABILITIES AND IS UNLIKELY
TO COMPLETELY GIVE UP ITS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND PRODUCTION
CAPABILITIES BECAUSE ITS LEADERS
ULTIMATELY VIEW NUCLEAR WEAPONS
AS CRITICAL TO REGIME SURVIVAL.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IT CURRENT
STATE OF THE THREAT FROM NORTH
KOREA?
KOREA? >> THE REGIME IS COMMITTED TO
DEVELOPING A LONG-RANGE NUCLEAR
MISSILE THAT WOULD POSE A DIRECT
THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES.
>> AND OF COURSE PRESIDENT TRUMP
FAMOUSLY CLAIMS THAT HE HAS
DESTROYED ISIS.
DESTROYED ISIS. >> WE HAVE WON AGAINST ISIS.
WE’VE BEATEN THEM, AND WE’VE
BEATEN THEM BADLY.
>> TODAY THE DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SAID THAT
ISIS STILL HAS THOUSANDS OF
FIGHTERS AND IS RESURGING.
>> WHILE IESDSSIS IS NEARING
TERRITORIAL DEFEAT IN IRAQ AND
SYRIA, IT’S CONTINUING TO PLOT
ATTACKS AND DIRECTED SUPPORT
WORLDWIDE.
WORLDWIDE. AND STILL COMMANDS THOUSANDS OF
FIGHTERS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA.
>> AND WHEN DISCUSSING THE DEAL
WITH IRAN THAT PREVENTS IRAN
FROM DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS,
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS SOUNDED LIKE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS.
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS. EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP
BROKE THAT DEAL WITH IRAN, THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS
SAY THAT IRAN IS STILL COMPLYING
WITH THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S
DEAL.
DEAL. >> WE DO NOT BELIEVE IRAN IS
CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING ACTIVITIES
WE JUDGE NECESSARY TO PRODUCE
THE NUCLEAR DEVICE.
>> SINCE OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE
DEAL, THEY HAVE ABIDED BY THE
TERMS YOU SAY THEY’RE
CONSIDERING.
CONSIDERING. BUT AT THE CURRENT MOMENT --
>> YES, THEY’RE MAKING SOME
PREPARATIONS THAT WOULD INCREASE
THEIR ABILITY TO TAKE A STEP
BACK IF THEY MAKE THAT DECISION.
SO AT THE MOMENT TECHNICALLY
THEY’RE IN COMPLIANCE.
>> IN THE HOURS OF TESTIMONY
ABOUT THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE WORLDWIDE
THREAT ASSESSMENT, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS DID NOT
SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
ARGUMENT THAT WE NEED A WALL ON
THE SOUTHERN BORDER FOR NATIONAL
SECURITY.
SECURITY. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS DID NOT
SAY ONE WORD ABOUT A WALL.
AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY FROM A
POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE
FUTURE PROSPECTS OF SUCH A WALL
EVER BEING BUILT, NONE OF THE
REPUBLICAN SENATORS ON THE
COMMITTEE ASKED A SINGLE
QUESTION ABOUT ANY THREAT TO THE
UNITED STATES AT OUR SOUTHERN
BORDER.
BORDER. AND ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE IS THE SENIOR SENATOR
FROM TEXAS JOHN CORNYN WHO
REPRESENTS THE SINGLE LARGEST
SECTION OF THE SOUTHERN BORDER
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
NOT ONE WORD.
NOT ONE WORD ABOUT A WALL OR A
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT AT OUR
SOUTHERN BORDER.
SOUTHERN BORDER. LEADING OFF OUR DISCUSSION NOW
IS AMBASSADOR WENDY SHERMAN, AN
NBC GLOBAL AFFAIRS CONTRIBUTOR.
AND A FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR OF
THE CIA AND MSNBC NATIONAL
SECURITY ANALYST.
SECURITY ANALYST. AMBASSADOR SHERMAN, I WANT TO
START WITH YOU AND REALLY I
LEAVE IT TO YOU TO PICK WHAT OF
WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY IN THAT
HEARING DO YOU THINK DESERVES
THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCENTRATION
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. >> WELL, I THINK THERE ARE TWO
THINGS, LAWRENCE.
THINGS, LAWRENCE. ONE, OF COURSE THAT THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS
COMPLETELY AT ODDS WITH THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE DON’T RELY ON THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO DEFINE
POLICY, WHICH I’M SURE JOHN WILL
DISCUSS.
DISCUSS. BUT WE DO THINK THAT THEIR DATA,
THEIR ASSESSMENTS, THEIR FACTS
ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSTRUCTING
POLICY.
POLICY. AND CLEARLY THE PRESIDENT FROM
JANUARY 22nd RIGHT AFTER THE
INAUGURATION WHEN HE REALLY
DENIGRATED THE CIA, VISITING THE
WALL OF THE FALLEN CIA AGENTS,
WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT
REALLY WON’T PAY ANY ATTENTION
TO THESE ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE
FACTS DON’T MATTER.
BUT SECONDLY WITHIN THIS
ANALYSIS, THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY TOLD US THAT RUSSIA
AND CHINA ARE ALIGNING THEIR
INTERESTS AND WORKING MORE AND
MORE TOGETHER, THAT THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE
A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR
DEALING WITH RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE OF THE U.S.
ELECTION, WHICH THEY EXPECT TO
BE FRONT AND CENTER AGAIN IN
2020.
2020. BOTH OF THESE THINGS ARE OF
GREAT CONCERN.
GREAT CONCERN. AND IN THE STRATEGY THAT
DIRECTOR COATS PUT OUT EARLIER
THIS WEEK, HE INDEED SAID THAT
THE RETREAT BY THE WEST AND BY
IMPLICATION THE UNITED STATES
FROM THE WORLD COMMUNITY AND
FROM THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY HAS
LEFT A VACUUM THAT IS BEING
FILLED BY OUR ENEMIES AND OUR
ADVERSARIES.
ADVERSARIES. >> JOHN, WAS IT EVER CONCEIVABLE
TO YOU PRIOR TO THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY THAT YOU COULD HAVE
THE HEADS OF THESE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES TESTIFYING TO THE
UNITED STATES SENATE AND NOT
BEING ABLE TO SAY A SIMPLE NO
PUBLICLY TO THE QUESTION, DOES
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES PUT THE UNITED STATES AT
A DISADVANTAGE IN DEALING WITH
RUSSIA BECAUSE OF HIS SECRET
COMMUNICATIONS WITH RUSSIA?
>> NO, I DON’T THINK THAT COULD
HAVE HAPPENED IN ANY OTHER TIME
OR ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION.
AND AS WENDY POINTED OUT, THIS
WAS A REMARKABLE HEARING IN MANY
RESPECTS.
RESPECTS. I WAS PROUD OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I ALWAYS CALL THESE PEOPLE THE
FACT WITNESSES.
FACT WITNESSES. IN OTHER WORDS, AT A TIME WHEN
FACTS ARE DEBATABLE AND TRUTH IS
CHALLENGED, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO COME IN AND
SAY HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN BELIEVE,
HERE’S THE WAY IT WORKS.
THERE’S ANOTHER DIMENSION TO
THIS THAT OCCURRED TO ME.
I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT ALL
DAY BECAUSE THE FACT THERE WAS
SUCH A GULF BETWEEN THE
PRESIDENT AND THESE PEOPLE ON
KEY ISSUES IS ONE THING.
THERE’S ANOTHER THING REMARKABLE
HERE.
HERE. THESE PEOPLE HAD THEIR ACT
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. IT WAS COHERENT.
THEY CLEARLY WORKED TOGETHER
WELL.
WELL. THEY KNEW THEIR FACTS.
THEY HAD NUANCE.
THEY WERE PREPARED TO SAY WHAT
THEY THOUGHT.
THEY THOUGHT. IT ALL MADE SENSE.
THAT’S A RATHER RARE THING IN
THIS GOVERNMENT THESE DAYS.
AND I THINK THAT IS KIND OF A
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE
PARTS ASPECT TO THIS HEARING
TODAY.
TODAY. >> AND WENDY SHERMAN, ONE THING
I WAS STRUCK BY WHEN DAN COATS
TOOK THAT QUESTION OF IS THE
PRESIDENT PUTTING US AT A
DISADVANTAGE, IT SEEMED TO BE
SOMETHING HE WAS READY FOR?
IT SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING HE
ANTICIPATED?
ANTICIPATED? HE CLEARLY WASN’T HAPPY TO HAVE
TO DEAL WITH IT AT ALL, BUT HE
CLEARLY KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING
TO HAVE TO SAY.
AND THAT WAS ONE WHERE HE WAS
GOING TO HAVE TO SAY I CAN’T
ANSWER YOU PUBLICLY, WE’RE GOING
TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CLOSED
SESSION.
SESSION. >> YES, IT MADE ME THINK,
LAWRENCE, OF THE ASPEN SECURITY
CONFERENCE WHICH I ATTENDED OVER
THE SUMMER AND ANDREA MITCHELL
INTERVIEWED COATS AND ASKED HIM
ABOUT THE HELSINKI SUMMIT WITH
VLADIMIR PUTIN.
VLADIMIR PUTIN. AND CLEARLY COATS PROBABLY GOT
IN SOME TROUBLE BECAUSE HE SAID
HE WOULDN’T HAVE APPROACHED THE
MEDIA IN QUITE THE WAY THE
PRESIDENT DID.
PRESIDENT DID. AND THEN ANDREA BROKE THE NEWS
TO HIM THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD
INVITED PUTIN TO THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HOUSE. AND QUITE FRANKLY DIRECTOR COATS
WAS GOB SMACKED, AND I THINK
TODAY HE WAS TRYING TO BE VERY
CAREFUL IN NOT TRYING TO GO TOO
FAR HERE.
FAR HERE. BUT CLEARLY HIS FEELING ABOUT
ALL OF THIS WAS EVIDENT.
HE DOESN’T BELIEVE WHAT THE
PRESIDENT BELIEVES.
PRESIDENT BELIEVES. HE’S VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT’S
HAPPENING WITH RUSSIA, AND HE HE
WANTED TO TALK WITH THE MEMBERS
ABOUT THIS IN PRIVATE.
>> AND JOHN McLAUGHLIN, YOU
DON’T HAVE TO BE IN THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO KNOW
ISIS WAS NOT DEFEATED.
TO HEAR ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
HAVE ACCESS TO A NEWSPAPER TO
KNOW THAT, THAT THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS OF ISIS AND
THEY ARE RESURGING IN CERTAIN
WAYS.
WAYS. THE NORTH KOREA INFORMATION WAS
AN INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT THAT
MOST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT
IN A POSITION TO MAKE.
WE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT’S
GOING ON IN NORTH KOREA, AND
THERE’S DONALD TRUMP’S
ADMINISTRATION SAYING THERE’S
BEEN NO APPRECIABLE PROGRESS
WITH NORTH KOREA.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE REGIME’S
OWN DEFINITION OF ITS SURVIVAL
TURNS ON THE NORTH KOREAN REGIME
RUTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
>> RIGHT, AND WE KNOW EVEN FROM
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION,
LAWRENCE, THEY CONTINUE TO
ENRICH URANIUM.
ENRICH URANIUM. WE KNOW ONE OF THE THINK TANKS
IN WASHINGTON HAVE A CREDIBLE
REPORT THEY ARE MODERNIZING THE
BASE THAT WOULD BE A BASE FROM
WHICH AN ICBM WOULD BE LAUNCHED
TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES.
SO IT’S EVIDENT THAT PROGRAM IS
NOT GOING AS THE PRESIDENT HAS
INDICATED.
INDICATED. AND THERE’S ANOTHER THING THAT’S
BURIED IN THIS REPORT I DON’T
THINK ANYONE HAS NOTICED YET.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FORWARD OF
THE WRITTEN STATEMENT, IN VERY
CAREFUL LANGUAGE THE DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SAYS MANY
OF OUR ALLIES ARE PULLING AWAY
FROM US BECAUSE OF CONCERNS
ABOUT OUR SECURITY POLICIES AND
OUR TRADE POLICIES.
IT’S CAREFULLY PHRASED SO IT
DOESN’T JUMP OUT AT YOU.
BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THAT WERE
TO BE SAID IN ANY OTHER
ADMINISTRATION, IT WOULD BE A
HEADLINE ITEM.
HEADLINE ITEM. THE CHIEF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER
OF THE UNITED STATES TALKING
ABOUT DIMINISHING FIDELITY AMONG
OUR ALLIES BECAUSE OF OUR
POLICIES.
POLICIES. >> AND THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED
AN EMERGENCY, NOT ANYTHING THAT
WE’VE SEEN AT THE SOUTHERN
BORDER.
BORDER. WENDY SHERMAN, I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THE IRAN DEAL.
YOU HELPED NEGOTIATE THAT DEAL.
WORKING ON IT AS AN
UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE.
AND THERE YOU HEARD TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SOUNDING I THINK SOMETHING VERY
CLOSE TO WHAT WE WOULD HAVE
HEARD FROM HILLARY CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AT THIS
POINT.
POINT. ONLY THEY WOULD HAVE HAD AN IRAN
DEAL STILL IN PLACE.
HERE IS A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIAL SAYING EVEN THOUGH
DONALD TRUMP TORE UP THE
AMERICAN END OF THE DEAL, IRAN
IS STILL COMPLYING.
>> INDEED.
>> INDEED. AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC
ENERGY AGENCY WHICH MONITORS
THIS DEAL HAS SAID IN MANY
REPORTS NOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
COMPLYING WITH THE DEAL.
BUT ONE OTHER POINT ABOUT IRAN.
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION HAS TRIED TO PUT
MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON IRAN BY
LEAVING THE DEAL AND INCREASING
SANCTIONS, TRYING TO ENFORCE
THOSE SANCTIONS, WORKING WITH
OTHERS.
OTHERS. BUT IN FACT THE BEHAVIOR IN THE
REGION THAT WE ARE ALL VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT HAS NOT
IMPROVED, IT’S ACTUALLY GOTTEN
WORSE.
WORSE. BECAUSE THE REALLY HARD HARD
LINERS OF IRAN FEEL THEY’VE WON,
THAT THEY’VE PROVED THAT THE
UNITED STATES WAS NOT TO BE
TRUSTED OR RESPECTED.
AND THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN NOW
ACT WITH IMPUNITY IN THE MIDDLE
EAST.
EAST. SO IN FACT THE PRESIDENT’S
WITHDRAWAL AND HIS ACTIONS HAVE
MADE US LESS SAFE, NOT MORE
SAFE.
SAFE. >> JOHN, TO THE POINT WE LED
WITH TONIGHT WHICH IS THIS LATE
REPORT TODAY THAT THERE’S BEEN
ANOTHER SECRET MEETING OF DONALD
TRUMP SITTING DOWN WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN, NO AMERICANS PRESENT, NO
ONE WHO COULD TRANSLATE EXCEPT
THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATOR WHO WORKS
FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN, THIS COMES
AFTER A DAY WHERE THE
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES WERE
ALREADY EXPOSED TO TRYING TO
DEAL WITH THIS, AND THEY SAID WE
CAN’T TALK ABOUT IT PUBLICLY,
HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN PRIVATE
SESSION.
SESSION. IT TURNS OUT THERE’S EVEN MORE
TO TALK ABOUT IN THAT PRIVATE
SESSION THAN THE SENATORS KNEW
WHEN THEY WERE QUESTIONING THE
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TODAY.
>> YOU KNOW, IF I COULD BE A FLY
ON THE WALL OR IF I COULD TALK
TO THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATOR, I
THINK WHAT I WOULD WANT TO KNOW
MOST IS WHAT IS IT THAT PUTIN
SAYS?
SAYS? WHAT IS IT THAT IS SO PERSUASIVE
ABOUT HIM THAT ENABLES THE
PRESIDENT TO SAY WITH A STRAIGHT
FACE, THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING, I
BELIEVE HIM.
BELIEVE HIM. IS IT A PERSONALITY FROM A KGB
OFFICER, THEY’RE GOOD AT THIS,
OR DOES HE HAVE SOME SORT OF
LOGIC THAT REFUTES THE FACTS?
DOES TRUMP PRESENT HIM THE
FACTS?
FACTS? WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT
DIALOGUE WOULD BE.
THEY MAY JUST BE KIN DREAD
SOULS.
SOULS. >> WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY TALK
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> NO.
>> NO. LET’S TAKE AT FACE VALUE WHAT
THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID A NUMBER
OF TIMES, THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD
TO HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP
WITH RUSSIA.
WITH RUSSIA. I CAN’T DISPUTE THAT.
THAT’S TRUE.
THAT’S TRUE. BUT HOW YOU GET THERE IS THE
IMPORTANT POINT, AND IN MY
EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH RUSSIA,
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN
DO WITH THEM IS TO TELL THEM
WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU THINK
AND
AND , AND WHEN YOU KNOW THEY’RE NOT
TELLING YOU THE TRUTH THAT YOU
ACKNOWLEDGE IT, BUT THAT YOU
KNOW CHANGES THE DYNAMIC.
I DON’T THINK THAT’S WHAT’S
GOING ON HERE.
I THINK THIS IS KGB OFFICER
WHO’S GOT A LOT OF INFLUENCE
OVER HIS PARTNER.
>> WENDY SHERMAN, A QUICK LAST
WORD ON THESE PRIVATE
TRUMP-PUTIN CONVERSATIONS THAT
REMAIN ABSOLUTELY SECRET AND NO
ONE IN THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT’S SAID.
>> INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.
PRESIDENT PUTIN UNDERSTANDS
ENGLISH.
ENGLISH. DONALD TRUMP DOESN’T UNDERSTAND
RUSSIAN.
RUSSIAN. WE HAVE NO IDEA REALLY HOW THE
TRANSLATION’S GOING BACK AND
FORTH.
FORTH. AND MANY OF US BELIEVE, JOHN
WOULD PROBABLY KNOW THIS BETTER
THAN I THAT THE RUSSIANS HAVE A
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF
EVERYTHING THAT WEPT ON IN THAT
MEETING.
MEETING. THEY’RE QUITE CAUSEOGNIZANT OF I
AND OUR GOVERNMENT DOESN’T HAVE
A CLUE.