#TrumpKnewAndDidNothing: Angry Internet slams Trump for not condemning Putin for ‘paying to kill US soldiers’
As more details emerge indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, social media is getting increasingly agitated against the United States President Donald Trump and the White House after it was reported that US intelligence knew of the bounties as early as 2019.
According to the Associated Press citing unnamed sources, the assessment was included in at least one of Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings at the time and former national security adviser John Bolton also told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019.
CNN first reported it on Monday, June 29, citing an unnamed source, that the intelligence was included in one of Trump’s daily briefings in the spring, followed by a report from the New York Times. Two officials told the Times that the intelligence was included as part of Trump’s daily briefing document in February of 2020. One official told the Times it appeared in a brief in late February, and the other cited February 27, specifically.
National security adviser Robert O'Brien said in a statement on June 29 that Trump had not been briefed on the intelligence reports, saying, “Over the past several days, the New York Times and other news outlets have reported on allegations regarding our troops in Afghanistan. While we do not normally discuss such matters, we constantly evaluate intelligence reports and brief the President as necessary."
However, CNN later reported that one former senior intelligence official said that not only should the president have been made aware of such intelligence, but the notion that the President wasn't briefed because there was a difference of opinion among intelligence agencies is "inconceivable" since it involved Russia. The New York Times also reported that American officials intercepted electronic data showing large financial transfers from a bank account controlled by Russia’s military intelligence agency to a Taliban-linked account, bolstering the reports.
In the aftermath of the reports, Republican SuperPAC, The Lincoln Project released a campaign ad on June 30 hitting Trump over the events. Featuring former US Navy Seal Director Dan Barkhuff speaking on the events, the video is titled 'Betrayed'. Barkhuff says in the video, "Any commander-in-chief with a spine would be stomping the living shit out of Russians right now, diplomatically, economically or if necessary with the sort of asymmetric warfare they’re using to send our kids home in body bags."
Barkhuff goes on to say, "Mr. Trump, you’re either a coward who can’t stand up to an ex-KGB goon or you’re complicit."
The video has gone viral prompting many to take to social media to express their disappointment and anger with the president. A user tweeted, "What if Obama had known for a year about a Russian bounty on US troops & done nothing? MAGA's would have howled with fury. Trump did nothing. Silent MAGA's everywhere. Hypocrites MUCH? #TrumpKnewAndDidNothing." Another wrote, "REMINDER: Trump still has not condemned Russia for paying to kill American soldiers. He has condemned the media for reporting it and the Democrats for making this a “hoax,” but not a single word directed at Putin. #TrumpKnewAndDidNothing."
A user opined, "Data intercepts showed the Russian GRU transferred money to the Taliban. Meanwhile, after this happened, Trump wanted to invite the Taliban to Camp David, and his "good friend" Putin to the G8. Republicans are enabling Trump to sell us out to terrorists. #TrumpKnewAndDidNothing." Another shared, "Is it true that Russia had bounties on the life of American soldiers... and Trump didn't take protective measures to save lives. Wait a minute, he said 'I was not briefed'... wasn't that the same response about the COVID-19. #TrumpKnewAndDidNothing."
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth tweeted, "American troops were reportedly killed and #TrumpKnewAndDidNothing. We’re going to have a hearing and we’re going to get to the bottom of this."