Quid-pro-quo? Putin & Trump?

Disturbing piece by Heather Cox Richardson in substack today. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to stop all planning against Russia, claiming that the government no longer sees Russia as a cybersecurity threat.

Richardson’s article traces the Russian 2016, 2020 and 2024 election interference afforts, confirmed by officials and Congressional investigations. To shut down defense against further Russian hacking attempts is truly shocking.

The answer may be in the next to last paragraph of her piece:

“Shortly after the election, a newspaper reporter asked Nikolai Patrushev, who is close to Putin, if Trump’s election would mean “positive changes from Russia’s point of view.” Patrushev answered: “To achieve success in the elections, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. And as a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them.”

Could that be the reason whyTrump is siding with Putin, and not the American people?

Image credit: Robert Reich

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-2-2025