Trump reposts article citing Putin
US President Donald Trump has shared on his Truth Social Media account an article citing Russian President Vladimir Putin's expectation that Trump would “restore order” in Europe and that Washington’s allies would quickly “stand at the feet” of their “master.”
The post linking to the CNBC article appeared on Trump’s official account on Sunday, part of a series linking to media reports that appear to be complimentary of his administration’s policies. None of the posts included any comments.
The CNBC article cited remarks Putin made in an interview with Russia 1 journalist Pavel Zarubin last week. Brussels has always taken its cue from Washington and will continue to do so under Trump, the Russian president contended, despite a number of EU leaders openly expressing their opposition to Trump's policies.
“I assure you, Trump, with his character and persistence, will restore order quite quickly. And all of them, you’ll see, soon all of them will stand at the master’s feet and gently wag their tails,” Putin told Zarubin.
CNBC cited Putin’s words with regard to Trump’s plans to impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the US, including from the EU. The move mirrors steps he took during his first term in 2018, when he imposed tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum imports, citing national security concerns.
On Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot hit back at Trump, saying Brussels would take reciprocal measures if the US follows through on its threat.
Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on imports from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and drug trafficking. After talks with Ottawa and Mexico, the tariffs were postponed for 30 days as both countries pledged to strengthen border security. Some tariffs on Chinese goods were also suspended due to disruptions in deliveries. Small-value packages to and from China regained their duty-free status.
