Trump Reacts to Putin’s Preference for Biden: A ‘Great Compliment

Former President Donald Trump responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement expressing a preference for President Joe Biden over Trump, considering Biden’s experience and predictability as a “great compliment.” Speaking at a campaign rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, Trump characterized Putin’s preference as a positive acknowledgment. This comes after Trump’s recent comments at another rally in South Carolina, where he suggested he would “encourage” Russia to take action against NATO allies who fail to meet their defense funding obligations, a remark that received criticism.

Putin’s remarks were made during an interview with a correspondent of Russian state television, where he indicated that while he believes Biden’s reelection would be in Russia’s interest due to his predictability and experience, he would work with any U.S. leader trusted by the American people.

Trump attributed Putin’s preference for Biden to his actions as president, particularly regarding the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, which he halted but was later approved by Biden. Trump claimed that Putin desires Biden as president because he would be more accommodating to Russian interests, including in Ukraine.

Despite praising his relationship with Putin on the campaign trail and claiming that the Ukraine-Russian war would not have occurred if he had been reelected, Trump faced backlash for his remarks suggesting leniency towards Russia.

At his North Charleston rally, Trump reiterated his stance on NATO allies’ defense funding, stating that he would not protect those who fail to contribute their “fair share.” However, he did not explicitly state that he would “encourage” Russia to attack them.

In response, the Biden-Harris campaign criticized Trump’s comments, accusing him of giving Putin permission to harm American allies in Europe, calling it the “best possible Valentine’s Day present” for Putin.