Former President Donald Trump reacts to Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he prefers President Joe Biden to President Trump because Biden is “more experienced” and “more predictable” That's a “great compliment.”
“President Vladimir Putin of Russia actually just gave me a nice compliment,” President Trump said Wednesday at a campaign rally in North Charleston, South Carolina.
“He just said he'd rather have Joe Biden as president than Trump,” he continued. “Now that's a compliment. A lot of people said, 'Oh, that's too bad.' No, no, that's good. And of course he would say so. ”
President Trump's latest comments come after he recently said at a previous rally in South Carolina that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever it wants” to foreign allies of the United States. It is something that 'Equitable distribution' of defense funding — faces pushback from some critics.
President Trump's latest comments were in response to President Putin's comments in an interview with a Russian state television correspondent, who reportedly said that re-electing Biden would be a better choice for Russia's national interests. He said he believed that, but added that he would work with any U.S. leader.
“Biden, he's a more experienced, more predictable, old-school politician,” Putin said, according to a translation of the interview by The Associated Press. “But we will work with American leaders that the American people trust.”
At a rally in North Charleston, Trump said it was natural for Putin to favor a Biden victory, and that Putin himself had criticized Russia's interests during his time in office, particularly the controversial Nord-Russian pipeline. He said it was natural to hope that Mr. Biden would win since he had put a brake on the construction of Stream 2. Natural gas from Russia to Europe.
“Nord Stream 2 has been stopped. [Biden] “President Putin is actually not a fan of me because he approved it right after I left,” Trump said of his role as president in imposing sanctions on pipelines and halting pipeline construction, and the subsequent Citing Biden's waiver of sanctions on the pipeline, critics believed it would give Russia an energy advantage over Europe.
“He doesn't want to get me. He wants Biden because he can give him everything he wants, including Ukraine,” President Trump claimed about Putin's relationship with Biden. “He will fulfill his dream of getting Ukraine thanks to Biden…The only one of the past five presidents who gave nothing to Russia is the one known as Donald J. Trump.”
During his campaign, President Trump repeatedly touted his good relationship with President Putin, calling him “smart” and claiming that the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war would not have happened if he had been re-elected.
But President Trump has recently been a bit harsh on North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies who don't contribute their “fair share” to NATO, suggesting he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever they want.” An ally of President Trump said the comment was a joke.
“One of the presidents of a great nation stood up and said, 'Okay, if we don't pay and the Russians attack us, will you protect us?'” Trump said at a rally in South Carolina. ''' he said. “I said, you're not paying, you're delinquent…no, I won't protect you. In fact, I'll encourage them to do whatever they want.”
At a rally in North Charleston on Wednesday, President Trump emphasized the idea that he would not protect NATO allies who don't pay their “fair share” but stopped short of saying he would “encourage” Russia to attack. .
“One of the leaders of the country stood up and said, “If we don't pay our bills, you won't protect us?'' I said, “That's exactly right.'' Ta. I’m not going to protect you,” President Trump said.
In response to President Trump doubling down on his NATO rhetoric at a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, the Biden-Harris campaign is giving President Putin the best Valentine's Day gift ever: permission to “mow down” America's allies. He said he gave it.
“Donald Trump just gave Vladimir Putin the best Valentine's Day present ever: his little finger promise to give Putin the green light to mow down our European allies if he's elected president.”
