Former US President Donald Trump expressed his desire to have a positive relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were to win the upcoming presidential election. In an interview with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk broadcast on social media platform X, Trump reminisced about his previous interactions with Putin and claimed that they had gotten along well.
Trump emphasized that Putin respected him during their time working together, and he hoped to rekindle that rapport if he were to be elected again. This comes amidst a tense relationship between the two nations, which has been strained by allegations of election interference and cyberattacks linked to Russia.
In addition to his comments on Putin, Trump also made claims about conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, asserting that these disputes would not have occurred if he were still in office. He suggested that his leadership style could have prevented or mitigated tensions in those regions.
The US presidential election is scheduled for November 5th, with incumbent President Joe Biden representing the Democrats and Trump vying for a second term as the Republican nominee. In recent developments, it was announced that Kamala Harris would replace Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket after he decided to end his re-election bid amidst pressure from his party due to his lackluster performance in a debate against Trump in June. The Republican National Convention has since nominated Trump and Ohio Senator James David Vance as their candidates for president and vice president, respectively.