Wash. Post’s Demirjian: It’s Going To Be Challenging for Trump to Control Conversation with Putin

EXCERPT:

DEMIRJIAN: "It would be a dramatic turnaround, given that he has not done that course correction with the American public, to do that behind closed doors with the Russian president. Maybe he thinks it’s a safer space, who knows. But the question also in my mind is, who is going to control that conversation? Putin is a very experienced world player on the world stage. He is very good at manipulating these sorts of situations to his advantage. Trump is not as experienced. He is used to dealing also on his foreign trips with people that are either dealing with him in public or flattering him when he goes overseas. Putin may or may not do that. It depends on what Putin sees as his best play. It’s going to be a challenge for the President to try to control that environment given that he doesn’t have a track record on this issue of election meddling to back him up going into that room. He could do it. It could potentially be a good thing if he does do it, but it’s going to be actually much harder than other things to make that switch.”