The White House has expressed concerns regarding the alleged contact between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin since Trump left office. The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, stated that if such talks had indeed taken place, it would be worrying.
According to a report by CNN, journalist Bob Woodward’s upcoming book, “War,” claims that Trump and Putin have had seven separate conversations, with one instance where Trump reportedly asked a staff member to leave the room to speak with Putin privately. When asked about the appropriateness of this contact, Jean-Pierre could not confirm if the administration was aware of these calls but reiterated that if true, it would be concerning. She highlighted Trump’s past actions, such as lobbying against aid to Ukraine, as reasons for worry.
Jean-Pierre also addressed the possibility of the US intelligence community being unaware of these conversations, stating she could not confirm any calls. While it is not uncommon for former presidents to communicate with foreign leaders after leaving office, Trump’s situation is unique as he continued this while running for re-election and undermining the current administration’s foreign policy goals.
Former Biden administration adviser Susan Rice suggested that Trump’s alleged contact with Putin could violate the Logan Act, which prohibits private individuals from engaging in foreign policy. In response, Trump’s campaign communications director dismissed the claims as false and criticised Woodward’s book as sensationalised.
This revelation adds to the ongoing conversation surrounding Trump’s interactions with foreign leaders post-presidency, raising questions about the boundaries of private citizen diplomacy and the potential implications on US foreign policy.