President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to come together over their shared hatred of “fake news” when they meet Friday in Hamburg, Germany.
“Two people close to Mr. Trump said they expected the men to bond over their disdain for ‘fake news,’” The New York Times reported today.
Why fake news will be the topic is curious indeed. Many of the inaccurate stories that flooded the web were believed to be part of a Russian plot to influence the 2016 election. The Times reported Trump may ask about the meddling, but not dwell on it, so as to avoid any appearance of complicity.
Trump will likely also talk with Putin about Syria, the Times reported, “including creating safe zones, fighting the Islamic State and confronting Mr. Putin’s unwillingness to stop the government of President Bashar al-Assad from using chemical weapons against civilians.”
Either way, aides are expecting a showdown of men who both see themselves as strong, unflappable leaders.
“I expect an Olympian level of macho posturing between these two leaders, who both understand the power of symbolism,” Derek Chollet, a former assistant secretary of defense said to the Times. “Putin will be very prepared for this meeting. He’s someone who is a master at manipulation.”
H/T the The New York Times