Kathrine Frich
Donald Trump offered a pointed response on Friday when asked about speculation surrounding Vladimir Putin.
His remarks followed comments made in the wake of a recent U.S. operation abroad and quickly drew international attention.
The U.S. president spoke during a White House meeting, touching on relations with Moscow, the war in Ukraine and unrest in the Middle East.
Question at hand
The comments came after a Fox News journalist referenced a joke by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky had reacted to the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by saying that “if you can do that to dictators, the United States knows what to do now.”
Asked directly whether a similar operation could target Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump dismissed the idea.
He replied that “it won’t be necessary,” without elaborating on what approach he preferred instead.
The exchange highlighted ongoing speculation about how Washington might deal with Moscow amid continued fighting in Ukraine.
Relationship claims
Trump used the moment to describe his personal ties with the Russian leader.
“I’ve always had a good relationship with him, although I’m disappointed in him,” he said during the meeting with oil executives.
He again argued that ending the war in Ukraine should be easier, repeating a claim he has made previously.
Trump also criticised former president Joe Biden, saying that backing Ukraine without seeking compensation was a “bad thing.”
His remarks reflected a familiar theme of distancing himself from current U.S. policy while portraying his own approach as more effective.
Wider warnings
During the same meeting, Trump turned to the situation in Iran, where protests have intensified in recent weeks.
He said the country was “in big trouble” and described developments as unprecedented.
“People are taking over cities. This is something that was unthinkable just a few weeks ago. We are monitoring the situation very closely,” he said.
Trump warned Tehran that if authorities began killing protesters, the United States would respond with a major strike.
Despite those warnings, reports of deaths among demonstrators had already surfaced.
According to the BBC, at least 20 people have been killed during nearly two weeks of protests.
Sources: Fox News, BBC, WP.
