Republican party presidential candidate Donald Trump received endorsements from many organizations throughout the U.S. He just received some flattering words from Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Q&A session in Moscow.
“He’s a really brilliant and talented person, without any doubt,” Putin told reporters, according to a translation by Interfax. “It’s not our job to judge his qualities, that’s a job for American voters, but he’s the absolute leader in the presidential race.” Putin went on to “He says he wants to move on to a new, more substantial relationship, a deeper relationship with Russia, how can we not welcome that?” Putin said. “Of course we welcome that.”
In the past, Trump has been very candid about his plans to develop a strong U.S. relations with Russia if he would be elected president. Trump stated during the second Republican presidential debate that he would “get along” with Putin if elected president. “I would get along with a lot of the world leaders that this country is not getting along with.”
Trump responded that he was honored by Putin’s remarks. “It is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond.”
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Putin’s comments sounded very close to an endorsement of Trump.
