Ex-U.S. President Donald Trump secretly sent Covid-19 tests to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid a domestic shortage at the height of the pandemic in 2020, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing its associate editor Bob Woodward’s upcoming book.

Putin, a known germophobe who was widely said to have taken extra precautionary measures including extended self-isolation during the pandemic, reportedly accepted Trump’s tests but urged him to avoid going public about them.

“I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me,” Putin was quoted as saying to Trump at the time.

    • tetrachromacy@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Out of all the BS about this orange baby flooding our collective intakes every single second of every single day, this bit of “light treason” coming to light earlier might not have been as impactful as it could be when the election draws nigh.

      Hopefully the Harris campaign seizes on this and beats him like a pinata with it for the next month. American Presidents should not provide aid and succor to their geopolitical enemies.

  • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    “don’t tell anyone, they’ll get mad at you not me.”

    No, I’m pretty sure we’re all just pissed at both of them equally. All the time. For all reasons. This included.

  • Jagothaciv@kbin.earth
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    1 month ago

    It’s not just Trump, we need to get rid of a lot of these rich people. The shit they do that we only find out in books and articles should stop. We are too big a population to have to deal with this fuckery.

  • BertramDitore@lemm.ee
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    1 month ago

    Holy shit that’s wild. Just when I think I can’t be surprised by Donald anymore, boom! Woodward does his thing.

    As talented as Woodward is, I really dislike that we only find out about these travesties years after the fact, when it’s all but too late to do anything about it. I understand that that’s how he is able to get access to these stories in the first place, but it feels really icky to me.

    • clgoh@lemmy.ca
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      1 month ago

      when it’s all but too late to do anything about it

      I’m not sure about that. 1 month before the election might be the best time to publish a list of damning facts.

      Vote.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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    1 month ago

    “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me,” Putin was quoted as saying to Trump at the time.

    That’s how you know Putin controls Trump. He didn’t tell anyone- for a while, anyway. Somehow Bob Woodward is politician kryptonite.

  • FauxPseudo @lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    This could have used more context. At the time Trump said covid wasn’t a problem. He said it would blow over. Yet he is sending off tests to protect Putin from this non-issue.

  • lemmus@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    As if a former KGB officer is sticking an American swab up their nose.

    • xantoxis@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      It seems far more likely to me that Putin requested them. There was a brief period where America had a monopoly on anti-COVID medical tech.

      The story as reported isn’t clear on whose idea it was. For Trump to spontaneously have a brainstorm to help another human being, even if it’s Putin, doesn’t really check out for me.

    • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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      1 month ago

      Yeah, they went straight in the trash.

      Putin, being a clever person, knows that value of the act though.

    • Podunk@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      the cotton on the end of a stick is not the most important part of a covid test.

      You could… use a different swab.

    • Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 month ago

      Exactly. Like he couldn’t have gone straight to the local factory and grabbed some if he really couldn’t get any, or straight to the airplane as it arrived with tests.

      • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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        1 month ago

        It’s possible Putin asked for them as a little loyalty test, and a story to have in his back pocket.

  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Putin’s Sock Puppet should have sent his COVID remedy. Fish tank cleaner, Clorox Bleach and a UV light for Vlad to shove down is damn gullet.