Donald Trump’s latest outburst revealed a raw nerve, one that might have been triggered when his on-again, off-again ally Vladimir Putin unexpectedly gave an endorsement to Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. Putin’s playful nod to Harris seemed to ignite a pang of jealousy in Trump, whose own campaign is struggling while Harris enjoys rising poll numbers. report from The Washington Post.
Putin, however, might have experienced his own moment of regret when he metaphorically stabbed his longtime admirer, Trump, in the back. Faced with the reality of Harris’s increasing popularity and Trump’s faltering campaign, Putin made the pragmatic choice to publicly pivot away from Trump, despite their shared history. This twist came just after the U.S. Department of Justice charged two Russian journalists with meddling in the election through the Kremlin’s propaganda outlet, RT.
This presented Trump with a golden opportunity: a chance to reframe his pro-Russian image and capitalize on the negative attention Harris received from Putin’s endorsement, which some speculated could suggest her own questionable alliances. Instead of seizing the moment, Trump let his emotions get the best of him. At a campaign event, he vented, “I knew Putin, I knew him well, and you know, he endorsed Kamala. I was very offended by that! I wonder why he endorsed Kamala! Was it done with a smile?”
Trump’s supporters, grasping for a counter-narrative, found themselves asking how he could be a Russian asset if Putin endorsed Harris. Yet, this narrative flip was quickly dismantled by Republicans Against Trump on social media. They pointed out the inconsistency in Trump’s reactions, highlighting his ongoing internal struggle between denying and admitting his connections to Putin. In this moment of vulnerability, Trump inadvertently suggested that he was the one deserving of Putin’s endorsement, prompting an X (formerly Twitter) user to mock, “That’s not the flex you think it is.” told by WeGotThisCovered
Putin has long been a cornerstone of Trump’s political persona, with Trump often praising the Russian leader’s “genius” and “savvy” decisions, even as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine unfolded. The public relationship between Putin and Trump has often been seen as an open secret, with U.S. intelligence reports suggesting that Putin favored Trump for his opposition to sanctions and uncertain stance on aid to Ukraine. At a recent event at the Economic Club of New York, Trump reiterated his skepticism about sanctions, declaring, “I want to use sanctions as little as possible,” which seemed to underscore his persistent alignment with Putin’s worldview.
Trump’s lingering connection with Putin raises the question: will he ever sever ties with the Russian leader? The answer seems to be a firm no. Trump knows that without Putin’s financial and political influence, his prospects in the upcoming election look grim. Moreover, with looming legal battles, losing the election could expose Trump to vulnerabilities far greater than a mere bruised ego—it could leave him facing the full weight of justice, with no presidential power to protect him.
