As I watched Putin’s merciless and unprovoked massacre of Ukrainian citizens and his general modus operandi, I was struck by how similar Putin and Trump really are.
Believe me, not your eyes
Putin: He says that what we have seen in Ukraine is nothing more than a military exercise targeting Ukrainian military targets.
Trump: Don’t believe what you see reported in the mainstream media. Only I can tell you what you’re seeing and what you need to know.
Dealing with media
Putin: He simply shuts down all reporting he doesn’t like. He threatens prison time for those who report the truth.
Trump: He uses the far right media as his only source of information dissemination. At rallies he points out the “fake media” folks and implies threats to their well being.
Subverting elections
Putin: He’s never lost an election because all Russian opponents are harassed, jailed or disappear.
Trump: Win or lose an election, Trump casts doubt on the democratic voting process ahead of time. When he loses, he tries everything in his power — and outside his power — to reverse the will of the people. And candidates who don’t kneel before him get a political death sentence.
Attacking enemies
Putin: See the above observations and consider how Putin demeans, demonizes and dehumanizes any person or country that he sees as a threat. This makes it easier to justify their incarceration or elimination.
Trump: Like Putin, he demeans, demonizes and dehumanizes his critics and opponents. Democrats and the media he dislikes are “very bad people.” Because they are “very bad people,” attacking them — physically or otherwise — is not only permissible, it’s encouraged. (He has already said that, if re-elected, he plans to prosecute Democrat leadership.)
Profiteering autocrats
Putin: Perhaps the richest man in the world, he takes what he wants without repercussion.
Trump: No POTUS has ever grifted off the office like Trump. Among the examples: his entanglement with Russian investors, using his hotels for government functions, and diverting “wall donations” to his legal defense fund.
Can you really compare a former KBG agent and a former President of the United States? Sure can. Just did.
Roger Sakolove is a resident of Boynton Beach.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: How former KGB agent and former U.S. President compare
