Trump and Putin: How the Russian Leader Leveraged Trump’s Weaknesses
Cairo: Hani Kamal El-Din
Herbert McMaster, former National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, has warned that the Republican leader was susceptible to manipulation due to his “vulnerabilities.” McMaster asserts that during Trump’s presidency, Vladimir Putin skillfully exploited the U.S. President’s ego and insecurities through flattery, according to Politico.
In his book, “Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World,” McMaster reveals how Putin, with his background as an intelligence officer, effectively influenced the U.S. President. McMaster stated, “Should I write about how Putin tried to manipulate President Trump, or not? I thought about it and concluded that Putin knows exactly how he attempted to do it. So, perhaps if I describe how Putin tried to press Trump’s buttons, it might make any future President Trump, should he be elected, less susceptible to such tactics.”
Previously, former President Donald Trump told American entrepreneur and owner of the social media platform X, Elon Musk, that he had a good relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin during his presidency. Trump emphasized that he got along well with Putin and that the Russian leader respected him.
