It wasn’t just the effects of Russian intervention on Mr. Trump’s behalf; Hillary Clinton would almost surely have won if the F.B.I. We don’t know, although Mr. Trump’s creepy obsequiousness to Vladimir Putin makes it hard to dismiss these allegations. And talking frankly about how Mr. Trump gained power isn’t just about truth-telling. What this means is that Mr. Trump must not be treated with personal deference simply because of the position he has managed to seize. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyNow, anyone questioning Mr. Trump’s legitimacy will be accused of being unpatriotic — because that’s what people on the right always say about anyone who criticizes a Republican president.

Source: New York Times January 16, 2017 08:21 UTC