Reprinted with permission from Alternet

For many years, former Rep. Ron Paul was the most prominent libertarian in Congress often frustrating fellow Republicans by voting against their spending bills. Paul, now 84, left Congress in early January 2013 but still speaks out about politics. And in hisFebruary 24 columnfor the Ron Paul Institutes website, the Texas libertarian isvehemently critical of President Donald Trumpfor, as he sees it, throwing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under the bus.

Paul hasnt always been critical of Trump. The former Texas congressman asserts that in 2016, Trump upset the Washington apple cart and set elements of the Deep State in motion against him. But Paul quickly adds that Trump has since become part of the Deep State he once challenged.

Trump loved it when WikiLeaks exposed the criminality of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party as it cheated to deprive Bernie Sanders of the Democratic Party nomination, Paul writes. WikiLeaks release of the (Democratic National Committee) e-mails exposed the deep corruption at the heart of U.S. politics, and as a candidate, Trump loved the transparency. Then Trump got elected.

Paul goes on to say that the real tragedy of the Trump presidency is nowhere better demonstrated than in Trumps 180-degree turn away from WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange.

According to Paul, Trumps administration is pushing for a show trial of Assange worthy of the worst of the Soviet era and the U.S. is seeking a 175-year prison sentence.

It is ironic that a President Trump, who has been (a) victim of so much Deep State meddling, has done the Deep States bidding when it comes to Assange and WikiLeaks, Paul laments. President Trump should preempt the inevitable U.S. show trial of Assange by granting the journalist blanket pardon under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

More:

Ron Paul: Trump Does The Bidding Of Deep State - The National Memo