Feb. 17: Trump says he’d be “crazy” to disavow Putin’s praise
“I have no relationship with him other than he called me a genius. He said Donald trump is a genius and he is going to be the leader of the party and he’s going to be the leader of the world or something,” Trump said, embellishing Putin’s praise.
“These characters that I’m running against said, ‘We want you to disavow that statement.’ I said what, he called me a genius, I’m going to disavow it? Are you crazy? Can you believe it? How stupid are they.”
“And besides that wouldn’t it be good if we actually got along with countries. Wouldn’t it actually be a positive thing. I think I’d have a good relationship with Putin. I mean who knows,” he continued.
April 28: Trump says maybe they’ll get along
“Maybe we will, maybe we won’t,” Trump says when asked by Bill O’Reilly about whether he and Putin would have a good relationship.
“I’m saying that I’d possibly have a good relationship. He’s been very nice to me,” Trump said. “If we can make a great deal for our country and get along with Russia that would be a tremendous thing. I would love to try it.”
July 28: Trump says he’d be firm with Putin
“I would treat Vladimir Putin firmly, but there’s nothing I can think of that I’d rather do than have Russia friendly, as opposed to the way they are right now, so that we can go and knock out ISIS with other people,” Trump said at a news conference.
But that wasn’t Trump’s only comment on Putin during the event.
He also refused to call on Putin to stay out of the election, “I’m not going to tell Putin what to do. Why would I tell him what to do?”
