Readers React: Watching, stunned, during the blowup of the G7 meeting
To the editor: After watching President Trump make a mess of the Group of Seven meeting, I am convinced that our best option for success at the summit in Singapore with Kim Jong Un is Dennis Rodman!
Alan Abajian, Alta Loma
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To the editor: I immigrated to the U.S. 62 years ago and became a citizen five years later. I voted in every election and considered it a privilege and duty as a citizen. While I consider my adopted country as a pillar to the world, I am extremely alarmed at the downward spiral that our democracy has taken in the last two years. This country has had as its main adversary the Soviet Union and since its demise, Russia. It is a fact that Vladimir Putin wishes to undermine our and the rest of the world’s democracies. Putin has some kind of a headlock on Trump, whether it is financial or salacious.
Trump is isolating our country from the rest of the world by getting out of international agreements to our country’s detriment, thus weakening our position globally. By imposing uncalled for tariffs he weakens our country both internally and globally, to Russia’s and China’s advantage.
We have a president who is racist, paranoid, full of demagoguery and who has no concept of the truth or scientific facts. And the Republican Party that doggedly follows him has lost any semblance of credibility.
Adam Mekler, Pasadena
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To the editor: A significant reason President Trump wanted Russia at the G7 meeting is that he wanted a nation there that would be simpatico with him. Not having Russia there puts the president in the awkward position of not having his cheering section with him. We know how he loves having his cheering section with him.
Dan Herscher, Los Angeles
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To the editor: The invasion and annexation of Crimea should be enough to keep Russia out of the G7, but coupled with Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election, it’s unconscionable for a president of the United States to make such a statement.
He couched this in terms of “We’re trying to run the world,†as if the G7 is a cabal of leaders attempting to do just that. This is an economic summit where the member countries meet to discuss trade as well as other issues affecting the economies of the member states, not govern the world.
Then Trump blamed President Obama for the Crimea invasion. This odious condemnation of President Obama comes from the man whose campaign manager was indicted for acting as a foreign agent in support of Russian actions.
Michael Solomon, Canoga Park
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Is there anything that top Putin puppet Donald Trump won’t do for the thuggish dictator? Apparently not. And all Putin had to do was hijack our election to install Mr. Trump.
That seems to be the sticking explanation for Trump’s sickening and outrageous obsequiousness to Putin. Of course Putin should have a seat at the table with the G-7 countries who promote and work to strengthen democracies.
Putin is the happiest man on the planet! He’s has his own mole working for him in the United States, who couldn’t be doing a better job in alienating us from our allies.
Before long, Trump will demand that we sing the Russian national anthem. And it’s not hard to believe he will threaten to deport anyone who takes the knee to Mexico.
Wendy Blais, North Hills
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To the editor: The president of America puts down our allies in the G7 and stands up for an adversary that meddled in our 2016 elections. To many of us, he is repulsive.
Not only is Trump a divisive figure on the world stage, he is dividing America. All over the world where democracies looked for guidance from America’s leadership, they are waiting for a correction in America.
Trump refuses to act decisively to counter Russia’s attack on our 2016 elections, and he shared the same stage with Vladimir Putin and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who both are autocrats and killers.
Worst of all, most Republican leaders in Congress are totally lacking of any courage to stand up to a president who is dangerous to the country, our values, our allies and democracy itself.
Alfred Waddell, Marstons Mills, Mass.
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To the editor: I suspect Trump arrived late and departed the G7 summit early for one reason: In the face of world leaders who are vastly more knowledgeable, intelligent and experienced than he is, he knew he was too ill-informed to defend his ignorant stance.
Yet when it comes to the true nature of our trade agreements with these six countries, I am ignorant too, and ask the L.A. Times to provide an article clarifying the realities. Is the U.S. really “being robbed� Trump keeps saying it, and the Times keeps repeating it. Please illuminate.
Julie Atherton, Tustin
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