Donald Trump defends Vladimir Putin from allegations that he killed journalists

Donald Trump
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump defended Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, following Putin's praise of Trump on Thursday. This Week host George Stephanopoulos asked the billionaire what he thinks about the widespread allegations that Putin has had journalists who disagree with him killed.

"If he has killed reporters, I think that's terrible," Trump said. "But this isn't like somebody that's stood with a gun and he's, you know, taken the blame or he's admitted that he's killed. He's always denied it."

Trump had argued Friday on Morning Joe that Putin's alleged tactics aren't so different from what he sees happening in the U.S.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"I think our country does plenty of killing also, Joe, so you know," Trump said. "There's a lot of stupidity going on in the world right now, a lot of killing, a lot of stupidity."

Trump's support for Putin has rankled Democrats and Republicans alike, including former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.). Julie Kliegman

Explore More
Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.