Republican Donald Trump said Monday he might meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before he takes office if he wins the presidency.
Trump made the statement on Michael Savage's radio show, "The Savage Nation." If Trump wins the November 8 election he would take office on January 20.
“If I win on Nov. 8, I could see myself meeting with Putin and meeting with Russia prior to the start of the administration," Trump said, because he said he believes part of the blame for the icy relationship between the two countries is that America's leaders insult Putin.
"They insult him constantly, no wonder he can't stand [President Barack] Obama and Hillary Clinton," Trump said.
In recent weeks, the U.S. government and Clinton's campaign have blamed Putin's Russia for hacking into the emails of Democrats and exposing them via the website WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange denies Russia provided his group with the emails it has been releasing in the run-up to the election.
Trump has come under fire from the left for saying he could get along with Putin and respects him as a leader.
Politico said Monday's statement could give Clinton a new opening to attack Trump for being too cozy with the former KGB operative.
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