According to Reuters, former U.S. President Donald Trump broke his silence on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a cryptic social media post on Monday. Trump, who had been criticized during his presidency for his praise of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, made no direct accusations in his post.
He wrote, “The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country,” and seemed to link the death to his own political troubles, stating, “It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024”
On the other hand, President Joe Biden directly blamed Putin for Navalny’s death in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle, as did Trump’s main Republican rival, Nikki Haley. Biden stated, “Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.”
Several former presidents and top members of Congress from both parties had also denounced Putin over Navalny’s death, which was reported on Friday. However, Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Biden in the November election, had remained silent until Monday.
During his tenure in the White House from 2017 to 2021, Trump was known for expressing admiration for Putin. Last week, he even suggested that the United States might not protect NATO allies who aren’t spending enough on defense from a potential Russian invasion.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Scott Malone and Nick Macfie)
