Putin pleased by Trump indictments exposing ‘rotten US political system’
Russian President Vladimir Putin Welcomes Indictments of Former President Donald Trump
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his satisfaction with the indictments against former President Donald Trump, believing that the resulting controversy will tarnish the reputation of the United States on the global stage.
“As for the persecution of Trump, well, in today’s conditions, in my view, that’s a good thing,” Putin said Tuesday at the Eastern Economic Forum. “Because it reveals the rotten American political system, which should not be able to claim it can teach others about democracy.”
Putin has long sought to undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions and voting processes, as highlighted in a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report on election interference in 2016. However, his candid remarks during the question-and-answer session on Tuesday were seen as unusual by Russian critics living abroad.
Exposing Deep Desires
According to Sergey Radchenko, an expert on Kremlin efforts during the Cold War, Putin’s comments reveal his deeply-held desires and a longstanding belief among Soviet leaders that the West is in decline. Radchenko stated, “If a civil war broke out in America, Putin would be happy because this is what he wants, right? He wants this sort of thing. He wants to contribute to it.”
Trump has faced multiple indictments at the local, state, and federal level.
“Everything that is happening to Trump is the political persecution of a political rival. That is what it is,” Putin said. “And it is happening in the eyes of the U.S. public and the whole world. They have exposed their domestic problems.”
Putin’s criticism is daring, especially considering the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in 2015 and the ongoing imprisonment of dissident Alexei Navalny. Navalny was jailed on the grounds of violating probation while comatose during his recovery from an attempted assassination through poisoning.
Radchenko commented, “This whole tactic of whataboutism has been a really major part of, not just Russian, but predating Russian, Soviet political culture … to deflect attention from domestic problems, domestic woes, by claiming that Western opponents have it worse.”
Endorsement from an Unlikely Source
Former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney promptly highlighted Putin’s commentary on Trump’s legal troubles. Cheney, who faced consequences within the House GOP for joining a select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol, wrote on social media, “Putin has now officially endorsed the Putin-wing of the Republican Party. Putin Republicans & their enablers will end up on the ash heap of history. Patriotic Americans in both parties who believe in the values of liberal democracy will make sure of it.”
Putin’s wide-ranging remarks provided a spontaneous glimpse into his perspective on global affairs.
Expatriate Russian economist Konstantin Sonin, a professor at the University of Chicago, stated, “He touched on all the topics that he is discussing, basically, every day with his close entourage, and this is an expression of how he views things. I think Trump is always on his mind because I think the current Russian strategy — it’s sort of a delusional strategy, but the delusional strategy is based on [the idea that] Trump will get elected president and magically will change, will force [Ukraine] to negotiate with Putin [and] would stop sending munitions, weapons, to Ukraine.”
Trump had promised to end the war in Ukraine swiftly by pressuring both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Putin acknowledged that such a scenario would be favorable but downplayed the likelihood of Trump following through.
“So, I find it difficult to say what to expect from a new president, whoever it may be,” Putin said. “It is unlikely, though, that any crucial change will take place, because the current authorities have conditioned American society to be anti-Russia in nature and spirit; that is how things are.”
Russian state media offered a more optimistic perspective from Moscow’s point of view on the implications of Trump’s political future.
“He is the destroyer! If he gets elected, everything we said about [a potential] civil war will be on their agenda in reality,” Moscow State University deputy dean Andrey Sidorov said on Russian state media. “Trump can really get it to the point that our geopolitical adversary will fall apart! Without any missiles!”
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