Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday continued to defend Vladimir Putin, saying he was skeptical that the Russian President green-lighted the assassination of an ex-Russian spy.
Trump’s comments come after a British judge declared that Putin “probably” approved the 2006 murder of Alexander Litvinenko on British soil.
“Have they found him guilty? I don’t think they’ve found him guilty. They say a lot of things about me that are untrue, too,” Trump told Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo.
“If he did it, fine. But I don’t know that he did it,” Trump continued. “You know, people are saying they think it was him, it might have been him, it could have been him.”
Trump previously defended Putin against allegations that he ordered the killing of reporters, asserting in one interview that “at least he’s a leader. You know, unlike we have in this country.”
The two men also have exchanged compliments. Putin has called Trump a “bright personality” and a “talented person,” while the real estate mogul said Putin was “highly respected” and that it was a “great honor” to have his praise.
h/t: Business Insider