Russia and Putin · First term · № 52

On Russia

Told Putin 'Don't meddle in the election' as a joke after a reporter's prompt

“Don't meddle in the election, please.”

Said

June 28, 2019, Meeting with Vladimir Putin, G20 summit, Osaka, Japan

Subject

Osaka G20 meeting

Type

Intelligence and security

Topic

Elections

Era

First term

What happened

At the start of their meeting at the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019, a reporter asked Trump whether he would tell Russia not to meddle in the 2020 election. Trump answered, "Yes, of course, I will," which drew a laugh from Putin, then turned to him, pointed a finger and twice told him not to meddle. It was their first formal meeting since the July 2018 Helsinki summit. Trump also said of the journalists in the room, "Get rid of them. Fake news is a great term, isn't it? You don't have this problem in Russia but we do." Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump was giving Russia a green light to interfere again in 2020.

Sources

1. Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Russia and an Exchange With Reporters in Osaka, Japan The American Presidency Project, Jun 28, 2019
2. Trump tells Putin ‘don’t meddle’ in US elections Al Jazeera, Jun 28, 2019
3. Trump makes joke to Putin about election meddling PBS News, Jun 28, 2019