Readers React: At least Trump came around on Russian meddling after public outcry. In this world, that’s progress

To the editor: It was encouraging to read that because of the public outcry in his own country, President Trump finally accepted the conclusions of American intelligence agencies about Russia’s meddling in our 2016 election.

I believe most citizens are beginning to see a pattern with Trump talking out of both sides of his mouth. Fortunately, the American press is exposing this reprehensible behavior.

Perhaps, the salient words often attributed to Abraham Lincoln capture my sentiments: “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Tom Kaminski, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: Trump’s walking back of his remarks at the news conference in Helsinki with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was completely inauthentic.

A faux pas of that magnitude would have been caught immediately — if not by Trump himself, then at least by one of the staff members who was in attendance. His misstatement would have been corrected before Air Force One left Finland, not the next day after all the negative coverage.

Nice try, Mr. President.

Joanna Ryder, Hermosa Beach

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To the editor: The reaction of the left to a few comments by Trump regarding Russia is truly breathtaking. Unbelievably, words like “treason” are being bandied about.

Remember, it was President Obama who killed off the missile defense system in Eastern Europe, seen by many as a gift to Russia. He let Putin take over Crimea and did not send the Ukrainians the lethal military aid they needed when Russian forces massed on the border. He watched helplessly as Putin forged alliances with Syria and Iran.

I wonder if the anti-Trump crowd realizes how irrational and irresponsible it looks. American voters are watching, and they don’t want people this hysterical running the country.

Joseph Schillmoeller, Gardena

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To the editor: I fervently hope that Trump never again has the gall to utter another word about anyone in this country being unpatriotic.

I would rather see an entire football team kneel during the national anthem from now until doomsday than ever again hear such outright anti-American statements made by the president in favor of a foreign power.

Veronica Graff, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: It was all just a misunderstanding. It started in earnest with the presidential oath of office in January 2017. When Trump promised to execute the duties of the office, he accidentally left out the word “not.”

Gary Wesley, Mountain View, Calif.

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To the editor: “This is your president speaking. Do send the rockets.

“No, I meant do not send the rockets. What’s that? Too late, you say? Bummer. But what about the server?”

Bud Pell, Santa Monica

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