Speaking with Fox News influencer Sean Hannity on Thursday, former President Donald Trump declined to denounce Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, even when Hannity was trying hard to help him repair his public image after he praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very smart” and a “genius” for invading Ukraine.
During the interview, Hannity tried time and time again to get Trump to say anything negative about Putin, but the former president pivoted to another topic every time.
“You came under some fire when you said Vladimir Putin’s very smart,” Hannity said, trying to downplay Trump’s praise of the murderous dictator. “I think I know you a little bit better than most people in the media, and I think you also recognize he’s evil, do you not?”
Trump replied by changing the subject and appeared to side with Putin’s excuse to start a war with Ukraine.
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“Well I was referring to the fact that he said this is an independent nation,” Trump said, referring to Putin’s declaration that eastern portions of Ukraine were now their own countries. “This was before there was any attack! He’s calling it an independent nation! Now, a lot of things are changing, now look, this doesn’t seem to be the same Putin I was dealing with! But I will tell you, he wouldn’t have changed if I were dealing with him, he wouldn’t have changed!”
Later in the interview, Hannity tried to get Trump to denounce Putin but Trump refused to do it.
Watch the videos below.
Trump declines to call Putin "evil" when Hannity prompts him to pic.twitter.com/kAB2pUKjdg
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 11, 2022
LOL — Hannity is trying so hard to get Trump to denounce authoritarians like Putin and he just refuses to do it pic.twitter.com/IdjhyGinFp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 11, 2022
