Former President Donald Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday just days after the massive prisoner exchange between the U.S., Russia and other Western nations.
“By the way, I would like to congratulate Vladimir Putin for having made yet another great deal. Did you see the deal we made?” said the Republican nominee at a campaign rally in Atlanta.
The historic prisoner swap —the largest such exchange involving the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War — saw 16 people including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich being released from Russian custody.
Trump, who has showed love to Putin before and once claimed the Russian leader wouldn’t release Gershkovich “for anyone else” but him, didn’t mention any Americans who returned home as part of the deal at his Atlanta rally.
“Now look, we want to get people in. You know we got 59 hostages, I never paid anything,” said Trump, who has falsely claimed that he gave “nothing” to secure the return of American prisoners in exchanges under his administration.
He continued, “They released some of the greatest killers anywhere in the world. Some of the most evil killers they got. And we got our people back but boy, we make some horrible, horrible deals. And it’s nice to say we got ’em back but does that set a bad precedent?”
Several Republicans have criticized the deal under Biden while Trump called it a “win for Putin,” telling Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that Gershkovich “would’ve never” been taken into custody if he was president.
Trump’s running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) used the prisoner exchange to boost the former president and claimed Americans were coming home because “bad guys” recognize he is “about to be back in office.”
“So they’re clearing house,” Vance told CNN last week. “That’s a good thing, and I think it’s a testament to Donald Trump’s strength.”
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, in response to Vance’s comments, told the network on that there’s “absolutely zero evidence” that the deal was brought about due to fear of who would be the next president.
“This deal was brought about because the president had, President Biden had alliances and partnerships and trust he could build on,” said Kirby in an appearance on “CNN News Central.”