'There is something off': NYT columnist anticipates 'dirty deal' between Trump and Putin

Donald Trump's growing attacks on Ukraine as he more openly embraces Russia is an alarming sign of a possible "dirty deal" between the American president and Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggested New York Times columnist Tom Friedman on MSNBC.

Appearing on "Morning Joe" for an extended segment on what some have called the expanding Trump and Putin "bromance," the longtime NYT columnist stated that he has come to believe that there is "something off" between the two.

Speaking with host Joe Scarborough, Friedman explained at length, "I mean, from the beginning of this war, Joe, there's been something off every time I hear Trump discussing this war."

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Noting the contentious meeting Trump had with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky one week ago, he continued, "Now, think of that meeting in the Oval Office; I was thinking about it the other day there was the leader of the free world, and Donald Trump was also there. The leader of the free world was Zelensky, okay? He was the one making the case for freedom and when you hear Trump talk about Ukraine, when you hear him talk about this war, there is something off."

"You know, the world, the government, the media, the courts spent $1 billion probably trying to prove collusion between Trump and Putin, that somehow Putin has some goods on him, some pictures, some money, who knows what," he added. "I never bought into that but I doubly don't buy into it now, because the real truth, Joe, is hiding in plain sight."

"Donald Trump likes autocratic Russia more than he admires, respects a democratic, free market Ukraine –– that is the truth," he asserted. "It's been true from the very beginning and he admires Putin because he wants to be Putin. And so unless we come to terms with that fact, this is the only way you can explain why he talks [like that]."

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