During an Oct. 31 interview with far-right commentator Tucker Carlson, former President Donald Trump pushed back against those who label him a “friend of Russia,” calling them “sick” and pointing to sanctions he imposed during his administration as proof of his stance against Moscow.
“They love to say that I was a friend of Russia...a Russian spy — these people are sick,” he said, addressing accusations that have persisted through his political career.
“Nord Stream 2? I Killed It.”
Trump addressed his decision to impose sanctions against Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline as proof of his strong stance on Russia.
“I killed it. Nobody would kill it but me. I stopped it,” he told Carlson.
The sanctions aimed to halt Russian gas sales to Europe, a move Trump claims is inconsistent with the “friend of Russia” narrative.
Despite this, Trump has previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine “genius” and shifting blame for the conflict onto President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump has also claimed that, if elected, he could end the war “within 24 hours,” but hasn’t offered specifics on how.
Trump’s Russian Contacts
Bob Woodward’s latest book alleges that Trump secretly communicated with Putin seven times after leaving office, further fueling public scrutiny.
In 2018, Trump faced backlash for appearing to accept Putin’s denial of election interference over U.S. intelligence reports.
Trump’s interview with Carlson comes as he campaigns against Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, with claims surfacing in The Financial Times that Trump may freeze the war and block Ukraine’s NATO membership if reelected.
