The Kremlin suddenly wants Russian media to stop talking about Trump

The Kremlin has ordered state-run media to curb its praise of President Trump as it becomes increasingly evident the United States might not be as friendly toward Russia as it first appeared, three people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg Politics. "They won't pour buckets of criticism on Trump, they just won't talk about him as much," said Konstantin von Eggert, a political reporter for Russia's only independent TV channel. "The fate of Russia-American relations is much less predictable than it was just a few weeks ago."

In January, Trump was talked about more by Russian media than even President Vladimir Putin, marking the first time Putin had dropped to No. 2 in the news since he returned to the Kremlin in 2012, Bloomberg adds. But on Wednesday, Trump ranted: "Crimea was TAKEN by Russia during the Obama administration. Was Obama too soft on Russia?" The Kremlin's decision additionally follows the resignation of Gen. Michael Flynn as national security adviser, after revelations about his conversations with Russia became public, and during a flood of scrutiny over how Russia might have interfered in the presidential election.

Subscribe to The Week

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

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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