President Obama called Donald Trump’s “flattery” of Russian President Vladimir Putin “unprecedented” on Tuesday when asked what he thinks about Trump’s approach to Russia.
“Mr. Trump’s continued flattery of Mr. Putin and the degree to which he appears to model many of his policies and approaches to politics to Mr. Putin, is unprecedented in American politics,” Obama said at the White House.
Trump’s admiration of Putin is “out of step … with what, up until the last few months, almost every Republican,” including many of those now endorsing him, thought was appropriate, Obama said.
“You have to explain to me how some of the same leaders who were constantly haranguing us for even talking to the Russians, and consistently took the most hawkish approach to Russia,” including Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, reconcile their endorsement of Trump with their previous views, Obama said.
.@POTUS: We think that Russia is a large, important country with a military that is second only to ours and has to be part of the solution. pic.twitter.com/bny0GzmR5H
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 18, 2016
Obama said that because Russia’s military is “second only to ours,” the U.S. and other world powers must cooperate with Moscow on international matters.
But their aggression in Ukraine and support of, and military intervention on behalf of, Syrian President Bashar Assad must be confronted, Obama said.
“Moscow’s behavior has undermined the international norms and international rules in ways that we have to call them out on,” he said. “And anyone who occupies this office should feel the same way,” he continued, because no American leader can credibly talk about democracy and freedom if they don’t confront Russia’s bullying.
“Any suggestion that we’ve improperly challenged Russian aggression or we’ve tried to somehow encroach on their legitimate interests is just wrong,” Obama said.
