Expert in authoritarianism reveals why Trump shirked visit to US military cemetery in Paris - but has time for Putin
11 November 2018
According to Sarah Kendzior, an expert in authoritarian regimes, President Donald Trump’s actions in Paris, where he passed on honoring U.S. war dead because of the weather but has found time to hobnob with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is no surprise.
Appearing on MSNBC’s AM Joy, Kendzior explained Trump’s actions in Paris that have drawn scorn from pundits and the military alike.
“It is strangely predictable,” Kendzior began. “I think we have two things going on. One is Trump’s fear of sacrifice. His lack of ability to understand sacrifice for a cause greater than yourself.”
“He has contempt for veterans. this is something that is consistent,” she elaborated. “He was cruel to [Republican Senator John] McCain, our troops — he has them stationed in Texas to put off an alleged horde of migrants coming toward Tijuana, and it makes no sense.”
“Then you have his consistent love of dictatorships, his worship of raw power. That is something he understands, that is something he sought to emulate,” Kendzior continued. “You saw this especially with Putin, but with Kim Jong-un and with anybody who is able to abuse power in an open and flagrant way with no regard for any actual representative body.”
“That’s an alarming thing because in this visit to France you see him once again moving away from a Western democratic alliance and towards an access of autocrats. That is his goal and objective,” she concluded.
You can watch the video below: