During Tuesday night’s presidential debate, she said she would not even speak to Putin if elected in November 2016 until executing a series of military changes. “Obviously that would be a concern”.
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“We see how effectively our pilots and intelligence officers work in Syria and how effectively they coordinate their efforts”, Putin said at a Kremlin event honoring security service employees, according to the Sputnik state-run news agency.
Scarborough pressed his guest: “But again: He kills journalists that don’t agree with him”.
TRUMP: Well, I think that our country does plenty of killing, too, Joe. “He’s a strong leader, he’s a powerful leader, he’s represented his country, and that’s the way the country is being represented”.
Trump went on to state that he always “felt fine” about Putin and noted that he is very respected by the Russian people.
Turkey and Western allies such as the United States have supported Syrian rebel groups seeking to overthrow the Syrian president, whom Russian Federation has backed.
Trump then proceeded to ham-handedly defend his new buddy Putin against accusations that he kills journalists. Shortly after he invaded Crimea in Ukraine, further escalating tensions. There was widespread prosperity, thanks in part to Russia’s role in the oil trade – which is now at risk as oil prices fall.
Trump also somehow “got to know him very well” when the two filmed separate interviews on separate continents that appeared on the same episode of 60 Minutes. Initial reports suggested the Russian autocrat called the Republican “brilliant”, though other translations suggest Putin wasn’t being quite so positive or effusive.
The subtext here is, perhaps, that Trump is a strongman that other strongmen would have a beer with.
The New York Times reports that Putin also used the colorful press conference to praise the head of Federation Internationale de Football Association, saying that “that man deserves a Nobel Prize”. Putin wants Crimea? He takes Crimea.
TWS has contacted other presidential campaigns, none of whom have responded for a request for comment.
Before the segment ended, Trump was asked, “You obviously condemn Vladimir Putin killing journalists and political opponents, right?” “I don’t know if the Americans need this”.
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Asked directly if he condemned Putin for silencing the media and political opponents, Trump replied, “Oh, sure. And he’s up in the 80s”, Trump said.
