Donald Trump's Latest Putin Remark Sparks Criticism

Former President Donald Trump speaks during an election-night watch party at Mar-a-Lago on March 5, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump sparked criticism with his latest remarks on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend.

Donald Trump drew criticism over the weekend with his latest remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During an interview with Fox News’ Howard Kurtz on Sunday, the former president weighed in on whether he believes Putin was responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny, a key Russian opposition leader and Putin critic who died at age 47 in February while serving a 19-year prison sentence for fraud and contempt of court. His death brought global condemnation, with much of the world, including President Joe Biden, blaming Russia’s president.

Trump had remained quiet on the topic until the Sunday interview, in which he agreed the Russian leader was “probably” responsible. Still, his remarks were met with a chilly reception from his critics, who said he should have made more forceful remarks condemning Putin

Kurtz asked: “The media, as you know, blame Putin. Joe Biden blames Putin. Much of the civilized world blames Putin. Do you believe Vladimir Putin has some responsibility for the death of Alexei Navalny?”

“I don’t know, but perhaps. I mean, possibly, I could say probably,” Trump replied. “He’s a young man, so statistically he’d be alive for a long time. If you go buy the insurance numbers, he’d be alive for another 40 years. Something happened that was unusual,” Trump said.

Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment via email.

Trump critics and analysts responded to these remarks on X (formerly Twitter). “Not a word of criticism for Putin – and his former senior advisors tell me his most consistent and enduring affinity as president was for the Russian leader,” posted CNN anchor Jim Sciutto.

The X account Republicans Against Trump posted, “During an interview with Fox News, Trump refused to blame Putin for Navalny’s death: When asked if Putin was responsible for his death, Trump answered, ‘I don’t know,’ and added, ‘Something happened that was unusual.’ ‘You certainly can’t say for sure, but certainly that would look like something very bad happened. Right?’ Putin’s puppet.”

“Trump still won’t blame Putin for Navalny’s death,” wrote Aaron Blake, a reporter for The Washington Post.

Wrote commentator @JoJoFromJerz: “If this doesn’t scream presidential I don’t know what does. ‘Mr. Gorbachev — probably, perhaps, possibly could you tear down this wall?’ ‘The only thing we probably, perhaps, possibly have to fear is probably fear itself, maybe.’ ‘Today is probably, perhaps, possibly a day which will probably live in infamy. Perhaps.'”

In February, Trump saw a backlash from his initial remarks on Navalny’s death, in which he compared himself to the late opposition leader.

“The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump has also called the legal cases against him, in which he pleaded not guilty, a “form of Navalny.”

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