Russia's been trying to get a meeting with President Trump for more than a year. The last time the Russians saw him was in May 2017, shortly after FBI director James Comey got fired. They've had no luck since.

But all of a sudden, on the day the Democrats announced their impeachment bid, based on their extended and many times modified claim that "Trump colluded with the Russians to steal the election from Hillary Clinton," Trump stepped right in to meet with Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

Horrors! And the left went wild. Get a load of the swamp and foreign policy establishment's reaction:

Literally, on the day the House will file two articles off impeachment against Trump, he will be meeting in the White House with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, closed to US press.



It's almost as if someone else is pulling the strings.... pic.twitter.com/cHzLWBLMcp — Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) December 10, 2019

The brazenness: As the House readies articles of impeachment in response to Trump’s extortion of US ally Ukraine by withholding aid for its war with Russia, Trump is meeting Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. — Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) December 10, 2019

Ambassador McFaul ‘shocked’ Trump invited Sergey Lavrov back to the Oval Office: ‘What are they thinking?’

https://t.co/9ouXdWoczA — Raw Story (@RawStory) December 10, 2019

We can be pretty sure Trump will tell Lavrov in the Oval Office tomorrow that, because he escaped impeachment for using Russia’s help to win in 2016, he’s looking forward to more such help in 2020. He’s unlikely to explain what he WILL be impeached for. — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 10, 2019

Trump, Lavrov, and Pompeo are meeting in private this afternoon.



What conspiracy are they cooking up today?https://t.co/oL0Gnkvyny — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 10, 2019

Lavrov’s team planted the “blame Ukraine” conspiracy, Manafort advised the White House & GOP to promote it, & Giuliani ran point to use the false narrative to strong-arm Ukraine not only in 2019 but in 2017.



This is why Lavrov’s visit is dangerous:https://t.co/e28evhVhsA



2/2 — Alexandra Chalupa (@AlexandraChalup) December 10, 2019

There's also the frenzy from the left:

This is the BS I feel helpless watching! Lavrov is back in the WH today & there is nothing we can do about it. I’m quite sure he’s there to give Trump Putin’s latest orders. Give me a break GOP assholes. The GOP is just opening the American door and telling Putin to do as u will! pic.twitter.com/zxN4YLmOll — Marcus James (@marcusdagreat1) December 10, 2019

After Trump met with Lavrov in May 2017, one of our highest level Russian spies suddenly became compromised.



We had to yank a spy who worked so closely w/ Putin, he could allegedly snap photos of Putin’s desk.



Trump refuses to testify to Congress, is meeting with Lavrov instead https://t.co/kRZpj3PjFC — Kristin Mink #ImpeachTrump #ImpeachKavanaugh (@KristinMinkDC) December 7, 2019

The press, of course, was upset it wasn't included:

CNN - Russia Confirms President Donald Trump is planning to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday in Washington! AGAIN? WH Press Corps Not Informed. pic.twitter.com/8SiVPR0sMw — Jon-Christopher Bua (@JCBua) December 9, 2019

Then there was this sort of thing, from the truly unhinged left:

Minister Lavrov shows up as Trump is bein’ impeached. Trump has never been more compromised or beholdin’ to Putin than at this moment.



Did Putin send Lavrov to comfort Trump or put the squeeze on him to lift sanctions while he’s at his weakest and most desperate? — Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) December 10, 2019

Lavrov is going to the White House to change the batteries in Russia’s cochlear implant in Trump’s ears. — stays72 (@stays72) December 10, 2019

Trump “invited” Lavrov because he’s due for a handler update. https://t.co/GOugp8F6QK — Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) December 10, 2019

Oh, goodness. Look at the shock. The outrage! The dangerousness! The befuddlement. The optics! And didn't even "notify" the press — that's the worst part! Shouldn't a guy who's been accused for years of being Putin's puppet get as far away from the topic as he can, avoiding the topic of Russia like the plague?

Shows just how little they know President Trump. This is actually classic Trump, Trump's style. He's trolling them. Instead of running from the topic of Russia, now's just the right time to meet with Lavrov.

Three reasons stand out.

One, to rub the whole thing in the left's face. Trump did this just to watch the entire left melt down and laugh his head off as these people went bonkers. When they go bonkers, they do stupid stuff, and that always sends a reminder to the American people that they've gone off the deep end. He does it all the time, and the left takes the bait every single time, too. These guys can't help themselves, and cripes, they've made some pretty big fools of themselves this time.

Two: To drive home to his political rivals and the country as a whole that he's president, and as president, he does what presidents do. The left still hasn't come to terms with his presidency and regularly make spectacles of themselves as a result of their inability to accept election results. Driving home that he's president is the right sort of cold slap in the face of reality for them.

Three: To let the Democrats know that he doesn't take their impeachment bid particularly seriously, given that he's going to win it. Actually, he has contempt for it. Perfect time to meet the Russians, actually.

Three: To show the Russians and all the great rival powers that he's pretty damn sure he's politically secure. The Senate is going to throw out the Democrats' stupid little impeachment show, one way or another, and Republicans will extend their majority in 2020, punishing them for their political stunt. Trump is confident and unperturbed, which additionally sends the message to every rogue state out there that now's not a good time to try anything. You can bet they are all watching and dismissing the impeachment show accordingly, too.

Trump knows what he's doing with such a meeting, and Lavrov has no illusions, either. No wonder the swamp, the left, and the crazies are all going out of their minds.