U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he thinks U.S.-Russian relations are at their lowest point ever, including the saber-rattling Cold War years of six decades ago.
Trump offered his assessment of the diplomatic climate between Washington and Moscow, even as he vowed in a Twitter comment to launch "nice and new and 'smart'" missiles targeting Syria, where Russian troops are fighting alongside the Syrian military, to punish Damascus for last weekend's suspected chemical weapons attack that killed at least 40 people.
Trump warned, "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming," adding his disapproval of Moscow's support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. "You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018
Aside from Russia's involvement in the long-running Syrian conflict, Trump claimed "Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation" into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller has been conducting a nearly year-long investigation into Trump campaign links to Russia, and the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that Moscow was targeting the election in an effort to help Trump win.
Trump has repeatedly rejected the notion that his campaign colluded with Russia or that he has obstructed justice by trying to short-circuit the probe.
He complained that the investigation is "headed up by ... all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for (former President Barack) Obama," although Mueller is a Republican and was appointed as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by both Republican President George W. Bush and Obama.
Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama. Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No Collusion, so they go crazy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018