Post Front Page

The editorial pages of Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal and New York Post, both reliable supporters of president Trump, shredded the former gambling casino owner and reality show personality for kowtowing before Russian dictator Vladimir Putin during their one-on-one horror in Helsinki.

The Journal slugged its editorial, "The Trump First Doctrine," and blistered the tweeter-in-chief for treating "other leaders above all on how much they praise Donald J. Trump."

The editorial board surmised that Trump's kowtow to the Kremlin could be due to the fact that "he can't get past his fury that critics claim his election was tainted by Russian influence. And so he couldn't resist, in front of the world, going off on a solipsistic ramble about 'Hillary Clinton's email' and Democratic 'servers.' He can't figure out that the more that he indulges his ego in this fashion, and the more he seems to indulge Mr. Putin, the more ammunition he gives to his opponents."

In going soft on Putin, "Mr. Trump will paradoxically find it even harder to make deals with the Russians. Republicans and Democrats will unite in Congress, as they should, to limit his diplomatic running room."

For its part, the Post said Trump's failure to hold Putin accountable for his aggressive behavior on numerous fronts, will only embolden him and fuel more tension down the road.

It concluded: "President Trump had a real opportunity to forge a new relationship with Russia by projecting strength and commanding respect. He failed to do so—and it likely will come back to haunt him."

Well done, Rupe.