Russia and Putin · First term · № 38
Congratulated Putin on re-election against advice in his briefing materials
“I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on the victory—his electoral victory.”
- Said
- , Oval Office, before a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
- Subject
- Putin re-election call
- Type
- Praise and deference
- Topic
- Foreign policy
- Era
- First term
What happened
Trump called Putin on March 20, 2018, two days after Putin's re-election, and congratulated him. The Associated Press, confirming a Washington Post report, said a section of Trump's briefing materials for the call read 'DO NOT CONGRATULATE'; it was unclear whether he had read them, and the White House called the leak 'a fireable offense and likely illegal'. AP reported that Trump did not raise Russia's election meddling or its suspected involvement in the nerve agent poisoning of a former spy in Britain. Senator John McCain said an American president 'does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections'; the White House noted that Barack Obama had made a similar call after Putin's previous election. Trump wrote the next day that the media 'wanted me to excoriate him. They are wrong!' On March 26, 2018, he ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian intelligence officers and the closure of Russia's consulate in Seattle in response to the poisoning.
Sources
- Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and an Exchange With Reporters
- Readout of President Donald J. Trump's Call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia
- Briefing papers warned Trump: 'DO NOT CONGRATULATE' Putin
- Tweets of March 21, 2018
- Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on the Expulsion of Russian Intelligence Officers