How can former U.S. President Donald Trump simultaneously condemn the Russian invasion
of Ukraine while also seeming to compliment its architect, Vladimir Putin?
Keep watching to find out.
The world has feared that Putin would invade Ukraine after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
Just before the invasion in 2022, Trump praised the Russian president for his tactics on the
conservative radio show "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show."
The former president responded to Putin's announcement in February that Russia would
recognize two regions of Ukraine as independent, saying,
"I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, 'This is genius.'
Putin declares a big portion ... of Ukraine, Putin declares it as independent."
A week after the invasion, Melania Trump released a statement that seemed to contradict her
husband's position, condemning the invasion and asking for Red Cross donations to help
Ukrainians.
She tweeted,
"It is heartbreaking and horrific to see innocent people suffering.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people.
Please, if you can, donate to help them."
He may no longer be president, but Donald Trump can't stop talking about Russia and
Ukraine.
And while he says he believes the situation is going to deteriorate fast, he is still
heaping praise on Putin, a man whom he's seemed to admire since his 2016 campaign.
On March 13, the former president said at a rally in South Carolina,
"If you think Putin's going to stop, it's going to get worse and worse.
He's not going to accept it.
And we don't have anybody to talk to him."
Trump went on to claim nobody was tougher on Russia than him, and declare what President
Joe Biden should be doing about the situation.
He said,
"The U.S. must make clear to Putin that he has two choices: To negotiate peace right
now or face blistering consequences, including a push to permanently eliminate dependence
on Russian energy."
NBC News pointed out that President Biden has already banned all Russian imports, including
oil.
And Trump still could not bring himself to say anything negative about Putin himself.
He said,
"It happens to be a man that is just driven.
He's driven to put it together."
Not only have Republican officials come out against Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine,
so have Republican voters — and lawmakers have had to try not to alienate both their
base and Donald Trump.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who barely ever speaks out against
the former president, called Trump's recent remarks praising Putin a "mistake," while
former Vice President Mike Pence said that there's "no room" in the Republican party
for what he called "Putin apologists," according to NBC News.
Trump also may have a Republican voter problem, since people can see for themselves what Putin
is doing through the media.
One voter, Mary King, told NBC news in light of rising gas prices,
"I don't think we're doing enough.
Ask the public what they are willing to sacrifice.
I pray every day to St. Nicholas to save the children in Ukraine who are in danger."
Donald Trump's fondness for Vladimir Putin was obvious from before he ever ran for president
in 2016.
It was on such display that CNN made a compilation of Trump's praise for the Russian president
in September 2016.
The cable news outlet went as far back as 2007 finding Trump singing Putin's praises,
saying he was doing a great job.
In December 2015, the former president defended Putin against allegations that he killed journalists,
while also condemning the United States.
Trump said,
"He's running his country and at least he's a leader, unlike what we have in this country."
Soon after he won the 2016 election, Trump called Putin "very smart."
But it was a meeting in Helsinki in 2018 when Trump's admiration for Putin became most apparent.
During a post-summit press conference, Trump was asked whether he believed Putin or U.S.
intelligence agencies regarding whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
Putin denied any Russian interference, and Trump said,
"President Putin, he just said, it's not Russia.
I will say this, I don't see any reason why it would be."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more List videos about people in the news are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.