Donald Trump jabs back after Vladimir Putin jokingly backs Kamala Harris
WASHINGTON – Republican nominee Donald Trump played up Russian President Vladimir Putin jokingly endorsing his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, during a campaign stop on Thursday.
“I don’t know if I’m insulted or he did me a favor," Trump said of Putin while outlining economic proposals to a group of New York City and Wall Street officials.
Four years ago, Putin said he preferred then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden over Trump, something he noted when he discussed Harris during an economic conference this week in Vladivostok.
"We will support her," Putin said ahead of the 2024 United States elections, according to published reports, adding: "She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her."
More: Putin jokingly supports Harris as US charges Russia with more election interference
The endorsement, real or not, came just hours after the Justice Department charged two Russian citizens with directing a $10 million campaign to influence the 2024 election through online platforms that promote Trump's candidacy.
Trump, who was investigated over Russian election interference in 2016, alleged without evidence after the charges were announced that the Biden administration is again trying to tie him to those efforts. In a Truth Social post, Trump said it is Harris and the Justice Department that are "trying to interfere in and suppress the Election in favor of the Democrats by resurrecting the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax."
What's true? What's false? Sign up for USA TODAY's Checking the Facts newsletter.
Trump also brought up Putin during a question-and-answer session that followed his Thursday economic speech to the Economic Club of New York.
Minutes before, Trump questioned the continuing value of sanctions against Russia and other rival nations, in Russia's case over its invasion of Ukraine. He said sanctions need to be used "very judiciously" because they can undercut the U.S. dollar. He added that he would try to negotiate a settlement between Russia and Ukraine.
"I want to use sanctions as little as possible," Trump said.
Critics have long taken aim at Trump's relationship with Putin. Harris campaign spokesman Ian Sams told CNN this week that "I think everybody knows who dictators and bullies around the world prefer in this election."
During a briefing on Friday, an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Putin's support of Harris was part of a longstanding disinformation effort by Putin to publicly support political candidates and causes that he actually opposes.
The official said U.S. intelligence agencies do not take Putin's public statements as representative of Russia's covert intentions and said there are numerous examples of where his public statements do not align with Russian actions, including his comments that he would not invade Ukraine before invading Ukraine.
Contributing: Josh Meyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump jabs back as Vladimir Putin jokingly backs Kamala Harris