Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Russian state TV host attacks Trump: 'So why did we elect such a President?'

TV host also calls Mr Trump a 'political infant'

Jeremy B. White
San Francisco
Friday 01 September 2017 17:07 EDT
Comments
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the their bilateral meeting.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the their bilateral meeting. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A Russian state television host mocked Donald Trump as a “political infant”, punctuating deteriorating relations between America and Russia.

Mr Trump is “being severely swaddled”, added the host, whose co-presenter taunted Mr Trump as being “placed into geopolitical coffin.”

“So why did we elect such a president”? the host said.

The exchange illustrates Russian disillusionment with an American president who has fallen short on his professed desire for warmer relations with Russia.

Breaking with other world leaders who criticise the human rights record of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Trump has had warm words for his Russian counterpart. He has consistently advocated stronger ties between the two nations.

But the relationship has frayed amid the fallout of Russian interference in the 2016 election, which intelligence agencies concluded Mr Putin directed, and an ongoing investigation probing potential ties between Mr Trump's campaign and Russia. Congress authorized fresh sanctions to punish Russia for election meddling, which Mr Trump reluctantly signed.

Russia swiftly retaliated to the sanctions by forcing the closure of American diplomatic facilities. The Trump administration hit back this week, ordering Russia to close three diplomatic offices in the U.S. and blasting the closure of American outposts as “unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries”.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in