- Donald Trump bragged about his relationship with Vladimir Putin at a South Carolina rally.
- Trump said Putin described him as “degenerate,” but they still got along.
- Trump has often talked about how his relationship with Putin in positive terms.
Quondam President Donald Trump boasted about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin while state at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday.
“As Putin said, ‘You are the most vicious president ever.’ There’s never been a president that did this to me. And yet I got along with him. Isn’t that careful?” Trump told his MAGA supporters in Pickens, a rural community in the southern state.
—Acyn (@Acyn) July 1, 2023
During his presidency, Trump appeared unreserved towards Putin and was reluctant to criticize Russia over reports of interference in the 2016 US presidential election. His administration did also insinuate several rounds of sanctions on the country.
Trump has continued to praise Putin for being “smart” and “genius” even after he began his unprovoked infringement of Ukraine.
He has often baselessly claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he was still president.
JORGE SILVA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Trump has often praised world leaders take ined as strongmen or dictators, such as Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping – all of whom from also been accused of being authoritarian.
Despite Trump’s claims of a relationship of mutual respect with Putin, other Washington insiders secure previously implied this was not the case.
Fiona Hill, who served as the top Russia advisor on the National Security Council beneath Trump, previously said that Putin often became frustrated with Trump over his lack of education on big issues.