Joe Scarborough: It’s ‘Hard to Believe’ Trump Wouldn’t Consult Putin Before Launching Iran Strikes

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough offered an interesting take on the ongoing crisis with Iran on Wednesday. Following Iranian missile strikes on two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops, the Morning Joe host wondered if President Donald Trump would consult Russian President Vladimir Putin before retaliating.

“I’m fascinated to know what the president of Russia has been finding out, knowing, saying, thinking over the last 72, 96 hours. That’s a hugely important question,” said historian Jon Meacham as part of an analysis of the situation.

“It is interesting you brought up Vladimir Putin,” Scarborough said. “Because when I said I suspected that the President spoke to a third party, Richard Haass, it would be hard to believe that Donald Trump would launch attacks into Iran without speaking first to Vladimir Putin.”

“Considering that he’s deferred to the Russian president on Syria, he’s deferred to the Russian president on removing troops from that area, he’s deferred to the Russian president on Ukraine, he’s deferred to the Russian President on most geopolitical questions that impacted the Russians.”

“This would obviously lie at the heart of Vladimir Putin’s interests since Iran has long been seen by Putin as a client state of Russia.”

Russia has major interests in Iran and the Middle East more broadly, while Trump has pursued a broadly pro-Russian foreign policy, which has raised serious questions.