Trump denies calling Putin a 'genius'

[Zorro]

With the U.S. public showing a vast disapproval of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the wake of his invasion of Ukraine, former President Donald Trump has sought to explain his glowing appraisal of the Russian leader's moves leading up to the war.

On Wednesday, Trump released a statement in which he parsed the semantics of using the word "genius" when referring to Putin's military strategy.

"The Fake News is also saying I called Putin a 'genius,' when actually, and to be precise, I called his build-up on the Ukraine border before the war started genius because I assumed he would easily be able to negotiate a great deal with Russia," Trump said in the written statement.

Trump, who seems likely to run for president again in 2024, did not explain why he had praised Putin for seeking to leverage the threat of military conflict to undermine Western interests. While conceding that he had misread Putin's intentions, Trump also placed blame with President Biden's administration for how the war started.

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-denies-calling-putin-a-genius-214302904.html

[Wingus Dingus]

1. Savvy genius.

[COL Mustard]

2. Why would Putin need to negotiate a great deal

With RUSSIA? Doesn't he already own that?

[underpants]

7. Exactly what I was going to ask. This is a written statement. It reads like Trump looped around

on himself, lost track of where he was, and then had to end with something “great”.

No one can read this and correct it or suggest that it doesn’t makes sense? No probably not.

"The Fake News is also saying I called Putin a 'genius,' when actually, and to be precise, I called his build-up on the Ukraine border before the war started genius because I assumed he would easily be able to negotiate a great deal with Russia," Trump said in the written statement.

[madinmaryland]

11. God damn, he makes Sarah Palin look like a fucking genius...

Well, at least she can see Russia from her house!

[underpants]

12. Trump invites Russia over

[madinmaryland]

13. Yes. Yes he did. 🤬🤬🤬

[Walleye]

3. Just like he never called the coronavirus a hoax

[Hekate]

4. Senile dementia

[fierywoman]

5. You were recorded saying it, a-hole.

[Solly Mack]

6. There's nothing interesting, or amusing, or entertaining about that piece of shit.

He's not noteworthy in any way. Not even his having been president makes him worthy of notice.

Think about it. Are you impressed he was once president? Or for that matter, by anything he has ever done?

Exactly. Can't even pretend respect for that fact.

His diarrhetic mouth is the only thing about him that gets him any attention and like the child who demands attention even if it is only negative attention, Trump will say anything and do anything to get people to look his way.

He's as tiresome as he is ignorant.

He's boring.

The only thing he could do that would be of note is to die in prison and even then, who would care?

Sure. It would be a good thing, his dying in prison, but no one would care.

MAGA-freaks would whine but let's be real, their grief would be nothing more than theatrics.

We're talking about a group of people who enjoy acting out if a red light seems too long.

Maybe that's part of their attraction to Trump - nothing calling to nothing.

Losers all.

[czarjak]

8. Self-proclaimed evangelical great Christian cozying-up to Russia? Absurdity.

[Turbineguy]

9. What's one more lie?

[Make7]

10. From 2014:

So he has the Olympics, the day after the Olympics he starts with Ukraine. The day after. How smart? He didn't want to do it during the Olympics, boom, the day after. So our athletes leave, we all leave and the day after.

You know, when he goes in and takes Crimea, he's taking the heart and soul, because that's where all the money is. I was surprised. I heard that the other day, they were saying most of the wealth comes right from that area. That's the area with the wealth. So that means the rest of Ukraine will fall and it's predicted to fall fairly quickly.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?318134-9/donald-trump-addresses-cpac
(8:34 - 9:14)

Apparently Putin was very smart to steal Crimea right after the Olympics - which apparently was supposed lead to the entire takeover of Ukraine fairly quickly.

From 2022:

I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, “This is genius.” Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful.

So, Putin is now saying, “It’s independent,” a large section of Ukraine. I said, “How smart is that?” And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s strongest peace force… We could use that on our southern border. That’s the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen. There were more army tanks than I’ve ever seen. They’re gonna keep peace all right. No, but think of it. Here’s a guy who’s very savvy… I know him very well. Very, very well.

By the way, this never would have happened with us. Had I been in office, not even thinkable. This would never have happened. But here’s a guy that says, you know, “I’m gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent,” he used the word “independent,” “and we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna go in and we’re gonna help keep peace.” You gotta say that’s pretty savvy.

https://www.clayandbuck.com/president-trump-with-cb-from-mar-a-lago/

Genius, smart, and very savvy, "...because I assumed he would easily be able to negotiate a great deal..."

"There were more army tanks than I’ve ever seen." "...he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper."

"I was describing the great negotiating posture he had prior to the unfortunate decision to enter Ukraine and fight."

He never seemed to have a problem with Putin taking over Ukraine until it turned out to be a strategic error. No concern at all for the people of Ukraine. He must be upset that this makes his buddy look weak and not very savvy.

[doc03]

14. You could play the recording of him saying it to a MAGAt and they would say

it was fake.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

15. Okay