President Trump congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on winning re-election despite warnings from his national security advisers not to do so, according to a new report.
Sources told the Washington Post that his advisers wrote “DO NOT CONGRATULATE” in all-capital letters as part of the president’s briefing materials before taking a phone call with Putin on Tuesday.
Despite the stern warning, Trump offered the Russian president well wishes as he embarks on the new six-year term.
Trump also chose to ignore instructions to condemn Putin for the recent poisoning of a former Russian spy living in the United Kingdom, an attack the U.S. has already pinned on Russia despite the Kremlin’s denials.
Trump has faced harsh backlash for congratulatory call to Putin from Republican leaders such as Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. John McCain, both of whom question the legitimacy of the Russian elections.
