Trump defends respect for Putin: 'You think our country's so innocent?'

President Trump and Bill O'Reilly on Fox
(Image credit: NBC/Screenshot)

An advance excerpt of a Fox News interview between President Trump and Bill O'Reilly sees the president defending his respect for Russian President Vladimir Putin by suggesting those who believe the United States does not engage in strongman practices are naive.

"Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him," Trump said of Putin, adding that Russia could be a valuable ally to the United States in the war on terror. "But he's a killer, though," O'Reilly pushed back. "Putin's a killer." Trump nodded, and said, "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?"

The full conversation between Trump and O'Reilly will air Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on Fox. Watch the excerpt of Trump's comments below. Bonnie Kristian

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