Even some of Donald Trump's closest and most loyal advisers have been taken aback by his recent comments about Vladimir Putin — including calling the Russian dictator "genius" and "pretty smart," the Daily Beast reported Thursday.
"(A)s Russia continues to attack Ukraine, several advisers and associates have practically begged the former president to end his effusive-sounding praise of Putin," according to the site. "Trump’s warm words for the Russian leader, who the ex-president regularly brags about knowing 'very well,' has startled even some of Trump’s onetime lieutenants who were already conditioned to mask their disgust with the 45th U.S. president’s actions."
Dan Coats, who served as Trump's director of national intelligence, told the Daily Beast he was "stunned" by the former president's comments. “I cannot think of any other U.S. president that would in a situation like this say what he said," Coats said.
By Thursday afternoon, several longtime associates reportedly had told Trump he "might want to avoid lavishing too much praise on Putin, and perhaps refrain from complimenting the Russian president’s intellect so much," according to the Daily Beast. However, sources familiar with the conversations weren't confident that Trump would take the advice.
"At least one adviser recently mentioned to Trump that it would be more advantageous to simply stick to calling Biden feckless and bumbling," the site reported. "For months, Republican Party operatives, candidates, their staff, and lawmakers had anticipated a golden opportunity to merely drag Biden as 'weak' and 'Jimmy Carter 2.0' amid a Russian invasion that would coincide with an American election year. But the party’s standard-bearer’s rambling analysis made many of his confidants and major allies wish he’d 'keep his mouth shut about' itand keep it to himself, a person close to Trump said."