Donald Trump clarifies that he definitely isn’t dating Vladimir Putin
Donald Trump has “helpfully” cleared up his relationship with Vladimir Putin by affirming that the Russian President has never bought him dinner.
Trump has faced serious questions about his relationship Vladimir Putin, whom he has lavished praised on in the past, after a number of Russia-based cyberattacks that were highly damaging to Hillary Clinton.
After the digital footprint left by a hack of the Democratic National Convention appeared to suggest connections to the Russian state, Trump openly invited Russia to hack the Democrats again, quipping that Putin could help find “missing emails”. Further hacks have indeed since taken place.
There were also claims that a shadowy pro-Putin internet comment troll army appears to have been redirected to backing Donald Trump.
But in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopolous, Trump decided the time was right to make jokes about dating Vladimir Putin.
Asked about his own previous claims to be close to Putin, he said: Well, I don’t know what it means by having a relationship.
“I mean he was saying very good things about me, but I don’t have a relationship with him. I didn’t meet him.
“I haven’t spent time with him… I didn’t have dinner with him. I didn’t go hiking with him.
“I don’t know… and I wouldn’t know him from Adam except I see his picture and I would know what he looks like.”
He insisted: “I have no relationship with Putin. I have no relationship with Putin.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met him. I never met him. I don’t think I’ve ever met him.”
Comedian Peter Serafinowicz helpfully dubbed over Trump’s voice with the same exact words:
