About forty-eight hours ago, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin appeared on national television to tell the world that Kamala Harris is his preference for president of the United States in the upcoming elections between her and his buddy Donald Trump.
The former president joined us to express his surprise at the plot twist, saying:
“I don’t know exactly what to say about that. I don’t know if I’m insulted or if he [Putin] did me a favor.”
The Biden administration didn’t waste any time to address Putin’s endorsement. John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, said Putin should not be interfering in US elections.
“Putin should stay out of American elections. The American people will decide their own leaders.”
Trump has called these accusations against Russia for interference a “fake political witch hunt and a scam.”
Some folks believe that the endorsement is more about creating disruption than showing actual support for Kamala. He smirked the whole time he said it and even said that her laugh is “infectious.”
Rebekah Koffler, a former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, said that Russia might think Kamala would be easier to manipulate than Trump, who has always been unpredictable.
Vladimir Putin
Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said that Putin’s comments should be interpreted however people see fit.
Putin has been consistent. Back in 2004, he showed his support for George W. Bush. In 2016, he openly praised Trump, sparking allegations of Russian interference in that election.
He has also been openly critical of candidates who don’t align with Russia’s interests, like Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Mitt Romney in 2012.
But it’s not common for foreign leaders to weigh in on American elections, let alone with such bizarre reasoning.
Kamala Harris
Trump has always talked about wanting to improve relations with Russia, and during his first term, he showed signs of being open to more cooperation with Putin.
Trump has said that if he were in office, the Russian invasion of Ukraine wouldn’t have happened. Many expect that a second Republican term could see a softer approach towards Russia, with a focus on diplomacy rather than confrontation.
Just yesterday, he promised to remove all sanctions on the country the moment he gets back into office because they’re hurting the dollar.
Joe Biden
But even if Trump wanted to ease sanctions and mend ties, he would face resistance from Congress.
Many lawmakers on both sides believe that Russia’s actions, like the annexation of Crimea, need to be dealt with before any real progress can be made.
Kamala, on the other hand, is expected to continue the Biden administration’s tough treatment of Russia if she wins. She has been pretty outspoken about Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and has supported sanctions against Moscow.