Former President Donald Trump has fueled speculation about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, refusing to confirm or deny whether they have spoken since he left office. This comes amidst claims made by journalist Bob Woodward in his new book, ‘War,’ that Trump had engaged in as many as seven private phone conversations with Putin after leaving the White House.
During a recent interview with Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait at the Economic Club of Chicago, Trump was directly asked if he had spoken with Putin post-presidency. He declined to answer, stating, “I don’t comment on that.” However, Trump went on to suggest that maintaining a relationship with Putin, even amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine, is beneficial for the United States. “But I will tell you that if I did, it’s a smart thing. If I’m friendly with people, if I can have a relationship with people, that’s a good thing and not a bad thing in terms of a country,” he said.
Trump also lauded Putin’s popularity in Russia, stating that the Russian president is “well respected” by his people. “Look, I had a very good relationship with President Xi and a very good relationship with Putin, and a very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” he said. “Russia has never had a president that they respect so much.”
Woodward’s book details a meeting between Trump and Putin early this year where Trump requested an aide to leave his office at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, for a private conversation. The aide, unnamed in the book, claimed that there were multiple calls between Trump and Putin, potentially seven, after Trump left office. However, the content and details of these conversations remain unknown.
While Woodward’s claims have been disputed by both Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Trump’s refusal to clarify the situation has only added to the mystery surrounding his relationship with Putin. His comments about the importance of maintaining a friendly relationship with Putin, even while the Russian president is facing international condemnation for the invasion of Ukraine, raise further concerns about Trump’s stance on international relations and his potential future role in US politics.