It would be a "terrible" political mistake for President Donald Trump to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the United States for the 2020 Group of Seven summit, particularly if the event is held at his private golf club in Miami, Republican strategist Karl Rove said Monday.
"The G-8 tossed them out because [Putin] violated international norms and invaded his neighbor and stole territory," Rove, a former White House deputy chief of staff and Fox News contributor, told the network's "America's Newsroom."
"I think it would be terrible for the president politically to invite them next year, particularly if it's at his club to come to the G-7, and make it the G-8 again, over the opposition of his partners in the middle of a presidential election."
On Sunday during the second day of the G-7 summit in Biarritz, France, Trump said it was "certainly possible" he would invite Putin to next year's event. The Russian leader was ejected from the world leaders' group over the annexation of Crimea, and the bloc's fellow nations do not want to readmit Russia, which was kicked out over hostilities in Ukraine.
Trump should not be defending Putin, Rove said, and he "doesn't need" the controversy over the Russian leader in the middle of his reelection bid.
Rove also discussed the ongoing talk concerning a trade deal with China, noting that it was an important move when France's President Emmanuel Macron said during a joint press appearance that France is ready to work with the United States to make certain that China stands by international norms for the World Trade Organization.
"I hope the president heard that and takes them up on that because we do have a huge problem with China stealing technology," said Rove. "It is better if the world says to China to stop it, then just have the United States doing it."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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