'Weakest, scaredest president': Adam Kinzinger shreds Trump for treating Putin like a 'victim'

In a video released on Thursday, former President Donald Trump attacked likely presidential rival Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for calling Vladimir Putin a "war criminal," claiming that his "foolish" remarks will make nuclear war more likely.

On CNN's "The Lead," former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) tore into the former president for his latest outburst of Russia sympathy.

"Putin, as we well know — we've seen what's been playing out in Ukraine," said anchor Pamela Brown. "He has also been accused by the International Criminal Court of committing war crimes against Ukrainian children. What do you make of Trump objecting to DeSantis calling Putin a war criminal?"

"I mean, look, Trump's just — I've got to just — I'm gonna take the, like, you know, analytic hat off and kind of opinion hat," said Kinzinger. "He's a huge, huge problem with this in terms of with Russia and in terms of his praise for authoritarians, and he's also one of the weakest, scaredest, most afraid-of-action presidents that have ever been president of the United States."

"I mean, he was always scared to react to anything," Kinzinger continued. "I give him credit for the Soleimani kill, but that's about it. And with Russia, he's saying, well, look, all you're gonna do is caused Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons like, he's some kind of victim again."

"Vladimir Putin is an evil man," Kinzinger said in a near shout. "He was indicted by the I.C.C., the Criminal Court, which, by the way, we are a party to, but for Donald Trump to come out once again and defend Vladimir Putin — remember, he used to go after Angela Merkel. And then in the same sentence, go after Ron DeSantis and Mitt Romney as if they're the enemy. It's just, it's — it is time for every Republican to say that this is wrong, or else you are complicit in it."

Watch the segment below or at this link.

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