Donald Trump’s much-anticipated meeting with Vladimir Putin on Monday offered him yet another opportunity to defy those who’ve criticized his coziness with the Russian leader.
But on a global stage, Trump didn’t just cower; he actively cemented an image of submissiveness to his Russian counterpart.
“I honestly had little to no good expectations for this,” said a senior Trump political appointee who works on issues surrounding Russian disinformation efforts, adding that the event...