Certainly, an ally might provide important information that would save the US from making a bad electoral decision. But an enemy might provide fake oppo, the sort of lie that literally travels half way around the world before the truth can get its shoes on. That’s why any pol getting private (Wikileaks published its stuff) foreign offers of oppo should report the offer to the FBI. Any friend of America is free to publish; the private offer must, as a matter of prudence, be presumed malign.

The problem with Trump in this context is that he has no grasp of our Constitution, has not read the founders, has not thought about the foundational principles of republican government. Such navel-gazing is for losers. He’s not a thinker; he’s a doer. Which is why Americans with a healthy distrust of thinkers like him so much. He’s their guy, out there kicking ass and taking names. He is burning Rome while the pundits fiddle. It would be interesting to hear him defend his action on principle. Instead, we get analogies to tea with the Queen. Very persuasive.