JD Vance Declines To Label Russia’s Vladimir Putin An ‘Enemy’ Of The U.S.
Huff PostLOADING ERROR LOADING Sen. JD Vance would not concede that Vladimir Putin is an “enemy” of the United States during an interview broadcast Sunday, claiming that the country needs to be strategic about the way it speaks about the Russian president. The Republican vice presidential nominee told NBC’s “Meet The Press” Putin is “clearly an adversary” and a “competitor,” but suggested it would be wrong to antagonize him by using stronger language against him that could hinder diplomacy efforts when it comes to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The two men allegedly spoke on the phone several times since he left office, and Trump reportedly sent Putin COVID tests for his “personal use” in 2020, according to journalist Bob Woodward’s new book “War.” While Trump’s campaign has denied the allegations contained in the book, the former president refused to answer whether he has spoken to Putin since January 2021. But he also went on to say Americans “can’t be the policemen of the world,” claiming some NATO members, including Germany, need to spend more on defense, echoing Trump’s words.