“Startling Reversal by Fierce Leader Sparks Controversy”
Repeating events throughout the previous week, Trump chose not to refer to Putin as a “dictator” like he had previously done with Zelenskyy. Trump expressed his confidence in Putin’s commitment to honoring any agreements made in a peace agreement aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He alluded to their shared experience as central figures in the Justice Department’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Trump dismissed the allegations against Russia as a “fabricated narrative,” despite U.S. intelligence reports outlining Russia’s attempts to sway the election. “I believe he will uphold his promises,” Trump asserted. “I have conversed with him. We have a long-standing acquaintance. We weathered the storm of the Russian hoax together. It was a challenging ordeal for both of us.” For further information, contact Joey Garrison at X @joeygarrison. This piece originally appeared in USA TODAY: President Trump on referring to Zelenskyy as a dictator: ‘Did I say that?’.
