Trump says he's a 'very suspicious person,' but will keep an open mind dealing with world leaders


During his interview Wednesday with Reuters, President Trump revealed he is a "very suspicious person" who does not go around "trusting lots of people," but is willing to meet and work with Russian President Vladimir Putin because he's the head of the "second most powerful nuclear power on Earth."
Both presidents love their countries, he said, "but I do things the way I do things, and it's just worked out." Their meeting last Friday during the G-20 summit was "very productive," he said. "Including the fact that I think we have a good shot at piece by piece getting Syria to stop fighting. Ultimately Ukraine. And other things, including the destruction of terrorists as we know them." Trump said the cease-fire in Syria is "totally holding" because "Putin told them, as opposed to somebody that nobody ever heard of. Putin and I agreed to it, and we have a four-day cease-fire. That means many lives have already been saved because of four days."
Trump asserted he was "very tough with President Putin," and called their relationship "very important. It's going to be a relationship where lots of lives could be saved, like as an example with the cease-fire, which nobody else could have gotten but me." Trump took credit for oil prices going down and the United States military having more equipment, and said because of that, he can't be sure if Putin likes him. "It's really the one question I wish I would have asked Putin: 'Were you actually supporting me?'" he said. "I would bet that inwardly, Putin would have been against me."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
Before the interview was over, Trump declared the mood in the White House is "fantastic," despite reports, featuring interviews with his inner circle, that state otherwise, and said he's done "more in five months than practically any president in history."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
September 1 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include Labor Day picnic, branding strategy, and more
-
What is Tony Blair's plan for Gaza?
Today's Big Question Former PM has reportedly been putting together a post-war strategy 'for the past several months'
-
When does autumn begin?
The Explainer The UK is experiencing a 'false autumn', as climate change shifts seasonal weather patterns
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revolt
Speed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich thrower
Speed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodus
Speed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda