Hillary Clinton condemned former President Donald Trump’s latest praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a blistering post on X, formerly Twitter.
Trump, the Republican 2024 presidential candidate, at the weekend claimed Putin had pulled off “another great deal” with the historic prisoner swap between the US, Russia and other countries that saw Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich among those brought home.
“By the way, I would like to congratulate Vladimir Putin for having made yet another great deal. Did you see the deal we made?” Trump asked supporters at a rally in Atlanta. Trump previously boasted that Putin wouldn’t release Gershkovich “for anyone else” but him.
Clinton, the former secretary of state and Democratic 2016 candidate, was incensed by Trump’s newest commendation of Russia’s authoritarian leader.
“Even by Trump standards, siding with a murderous dictator who took Americans hostage is traitorous and pathetic,” she wrote.
“You do not, in fact, have to hand it to Putin,” Clinton added.
Despite Trump’s characterisation of the swap, it has been hailed as a win for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who has replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket for November’s election.