Republican presidential candidate Lindsey Graham Thursday slammed Donald Trump's praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin after the former KGB chief called the developer the "absolute leader" in the race for the nomination.
The South Carolina senator said this on Twitter:
Putin called Trump "a very colorful character and talented" after his annual news conference with reporters in Moscow.
"He’s the absolute leader in the presidential race," Putin added. "He's said that he wants to move to a new level of ties, closer and deeper ties with Russia.
"How couldn’t we welcome that? Of course, we welcome it," he said.
Trump told
ABC News in response that "it is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond.
"I have always felt that Russia and the United States should be able to work well with each other towards defeating terrorism and restoring world peace, not to mention trade and all of the other benefits derived from mutual respect,” Trump added.