Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump share some of the same attributes that put them in a world of lies, power, and authoritarianism.
Vladimir Putin interfered in the United State’s presidential elections in 2016 and 2020, helping Trump get elected in the first one. On February 24, 2022 Putin unleashed a massive military attack on Ukraine. Then on March 18 at a Moscow sports stadium rally in front of 200,000 Russians, most of whom were either paid or forced to attend, Putin gave a nearly 4,000 word speech [1]. In his speech he said that the Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which were ratified by the Russian Federal Assembly on February 22, asked for Russia’s help to protect them. Two days later, Putin invaded Ukraine. Putin said this in his speech:
I made a decision to carry out a special military operation.
The purpose of this operation is to protect people who, for eight years now, have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kiev regime. To this end, we will seek to de-militarise and denazify Ukraine, as well as bring to trial those who perpetrated numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including against citizens of the Russian Federation.
Bloomberg. (2022, March 24). Translation of Vladimir Putin’s Televised Address on Ukraine. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-24/full-transcript-vladimir-putin-s-televised-address-to-russia-on-ukraine-feb-24
Putin’s Big Lie
This is one of Putin’s “big lies,” (denazifying Ukraine). There are many which are riddled throughout his rally speech. The “Big Lies” perpetuated by Putin are not new, and are designed as propaganda to effect the views of ordinary Russian citizens. Some observers, such as Marie Yavanovitch, former ambassador of Ukraine, think that Putin has launched a war of extermination. She also believes that Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is one of the most significant wartime leaders since WWII. The war, as shown in the map below, has uprooted 1/4 of the Ukrainian population. More than 3 million Ukrainians have fled the country, and the Ukrainians still in the country are at risk of bombing and other attacks. The war is horrible, and people are being murdered everyday. And still many Russians are not aware of this, and perpetuate many of Putin’s lies.
The lies that Putin perpetuates are based on experiences not only in the KGB, but while he worked in St. Petersburg from 1991 – 1996. According to Karen Dawisha, director of the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies, and the Walter E. Havighurst Professor of Political Science at the University of Miami, it was in St. Petersburg, as deputy major, that Putin build his emerging empire, with him at the center and holding all of the power. She said this about Putin:
For Putin the 1990s was the period when “everything came true.” It was a time when a group of former KGB, mafia, and political and economic elites joined forces, combining their money, connections, and position to create the basis for Putin’s spectacular success in building an authoritarian and kleptocratic regime.
Dawisha, Karen. Putin’s Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia? (pp. 37-38). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.
Trump’s Big Lie
For Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, his big lie was his claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. To this day, just like Putin, he repeats his big lie almost on a daily basis. Nearly 2 years after the election he lost, he perpetuates his big lie among supporters and the rest of us. His face is on TV in political advertisements supporting David Perdue’s candidacy for governor of Georgia. Perdue is challenging Brian Kemp, the sitting Republican governor. Perdue and Kemp are going head to head in the Republican primary for governor in May 2022. As a result, Trump is using the Big Lie of election theft to attack Kemp in these advertisements because Kemp refused to change the outcome of the 2020 Georgia presidential election. Even though Trump’s own head of election security said that the 2020 election was the most secure in American history, millions of Americans believe Trump’s lie which has undermined people’s faith in American democracy.
Like Putin, Trump lied everyday he was in office. For example, in 2020, Trump averaged 22 lies per day!
Violence
Violence and lying are characteristics of Putin and Trump. Putin has unleashed hell on the people of Ukraine. He using bombs and missiles to destroy buildings and kill innocent Ukrainians. The city of Mariupol’s buildings were destroyed by bombs and rockets creating an Indescribable agony for the citizens forcing them out of their homes and out of the city.
In the summer of 2020 he sent stormtroopers into American cities. Without any invitation from or consent of the governor of Oregon or the mayor of Portland, hundreds of camouflaged armed troops have used force against legal protestors. The protestors are not breaking the law by protesting police brutality and the unequal treatment of people of color. But, these stormtroopers are not there to help local law enforcement, but instead to use aggressive force against protestors.
Trump unleashed violence in the United State Capitol on January 6, 2021. Six people were killed on that day and many were seriously injured by the Trump mobs. Right wing mobs attacked the capitol threatening to kill Vice-President Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Many of these Americans have been identified, charged and brought to trial. But, Trump and his sycophants haven’t been brought to justice.
Putin’s Mantra
Putin and Trump use similar mantras in their speeches. Putin wants to restore or return Russia to the days when the Soviet Union was considered a recognized power in international politics. He, like Trump uses threats to emphasize the power that he has at his finger tips. He said this in his March 18th speech:
I would now like to say something very important for those who may be tempted to interfere in these developments from the outside. No matter who tries to stand in our way or more so create threats for our country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond immediately, and the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history. No matter how the events unfold, we are ready. All the necessary decisions in this regard have been taken. I hope that my words will be heard.
Bloomberg. (2022, March 24). Translation of Vladimir Putin’s Televised Address on Ukraine. Bloomberg.com
Trump’s Mantra
Trump wants to make America great again. He does this threatening against allies and foes. Donald Trump has used threats to warn others of his power, especially North Korea. He was warning them that he would use nuclear weapons against the country. He said this:
“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump told reporters, speaking slowly and deliberately with his arms crossed in front of him. “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening … and as I said they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.”
Pramuk, J. (2017, August 9). Trump warns North Korea Threats ‘will be met with fire and Fury’. CNBC. Retrieved March 21, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/08/trump-warns-north-korea-threats-will-be-met-with-fire-and-fury.html
Each of these authoritarians is a clear and present danger. It’s not difficult to say this about Vladimir Putin, but our memory is short when it comes to discussing Donald Trump. Both of these despots need to be held accountable for the inhumanness they have caused their own country and the world.
[1] Bloomberg. (2022, March 24). Translation of Vladimir Putin’s Televised Address on Ukraine. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-24/full-transcript-vladimir-putin-s-televised-address-to-russia-on-ukraine-feb-24
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