Donald Trump’s unusual admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin has worried many people for a long time. People all over the world have been confused by Trump’s behavior towards this authoritarian leader. Recently, more people are starting to speak out about it. One of them is Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia, who shared some troubling details about how Trump acted when he was around Putin.
Turnbull described Trump as acting like a “12-year-old boy” whenever he was around Putin, clearly in awe of the Russian leader. Speaking on an Australian TV program, Turnbull said, “It’s really creepy.” He compared Trump’s behavior to a young boy meeting a high school football captain, almost hero-worshipping Putin. This kind of attitude is concerning, especially for someone who was once the leader of one of the world’s most powerful countries.
Former Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull: “When you see Trump with Putin, as I have on a few occasions, he’s like the 12-year-old boy that goes to high school and meets the captain of the football team. ‘My hero!’ It’s really creepy…the creepiness was palpable” pic.twitter.com/95kDAFwvAF
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 9, 2024
Well, it’s not surprising that people are worried about Trump’s connection with Putin again. While he was president, Trump often wouldn’t criticize Putin, even when Russia did things like taking over Crimea or messing with the 2016 U.S. election. In 2018, at a meeting in Helsinki, Trump even backed Putin over U.S. intelligence when asked about Russia’s role in the election. He said, “I don’t see any reason why it would be [Russia],” ignoring the clear proof that Russia was involved.
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This close relationship between Trump and Putin has worried many people, both in the U.S. and internationally. For instance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently shared his concerns about Trump’s stance on Putin. Zelensky, who has been leading his country through Russia’s ongoing invasion, said in an interview that Trump does not seem to understand the threat Putin poses. “I don’t think he understands that Putin will never stop,” Zelensky said.
Trump’s refusal to stand up to Putin is worrying for both national and global safety. Malcolm Turnbull said that if Trump becomes president again, the world could face a bigger problem, not just from Russia and China, but from a U.S. led by someone who admires dictators. Many U.S. Democrats agree. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin even said that if Trump returns to the White House, he could “hand the keys over” to Putin. Her concern is that Trump’s loyalty to Putin could harm countries like Ukraine, especially with Russia’s ongoing attacks.
The big question is: Why does Trump admire such a dangerous leader like Putin? Trump often said he wanted to put “America First,” but his odd relationship with Putin makes us wonder where his true loyalties are. The world needs to pay attention to these signs, especially since Trump is still an important figure in the Republican Party.
Featured image via screengrab/YouTube
