--- title: Donald Trump Brushes Off Vladimir Putin Allegations description: He wasn't bothered by allegations Putin has had journalists killed. canonical: https://time.com/4154624/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-killing/ author: Zeke Miller article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-12-18T13:30:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:48:03.214Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Brushes Off Putin's Alleged Killing Of Journalists og:description: "Our country does plenty of killing also." og:url: https://time.com/4154624/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-killing/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8211aa1e8e332533/69887605f887dc1914e93cf2/donald-trump-morning-joe.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to guests gathered during a campaign event at the International Air Response facility on December 16, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Brushes Off Putin's Alleged Killing Of Journalists twitter:description: "Our country does plenty of killing also." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8211aa1e8e332533/69887605f887dc1914e93cf2/donald-trump-morning-joe.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Brushes Off Putin's Alleged Killing Of Journalists > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Donald Trump: 'I Have to Win' [Watch (HLS stream): Donald Trump: 'I Have to Win'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RaDVQ2PJ.m3u8) (2:30)  _Published 2015-12-09. Watch Time magazine's interview with Donald Trump for Person of the Year_ by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Dec 18, 2015 1:30 PM UTC  Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to guests gathered during a campaign event at the International Air Response facility on December 16, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to guests gathered during a campaign event at the International Air Response facility on December 16, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona.Ralph Freso—Getty Images by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Dec 18, 2015 1:30 PM UTC Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump brushed off well-documented allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin has had political opponents and journalists killed, following praise from the Russian leader for his presidential campaign. In an interview with “Morning Joe” Friday, Trump said he was pleased to be praised by Putin. “Sure, when people call you brilliant it’s always good, especially when the person heads up Russia,” he said.” Putin had called Trump “bright and talented” and all-but-endorsed his campaign this week. But when host Joe Scarborough raised doubts about whether Putin’s support should be coveted, Trump brushed it off. “He also is a person that kills journalists, political opponents and invades countries. Obviously that would be a concern, would it not,” Scarborough asked. “Our country does plenty of killing also Joe,” Trump replied. “He’s running his country and at least he’s a leader, unlike what we have in this country.” Scarborough replied incredulously, “Again he kills journalists who don’t agree with him?” “Well, our country does plenty of killing also Joe, so you know,” Trump followed-up, before declaring that there’s “a lot of killing going on, a lot of stupidity” in the world. **Read Next:** [_Why Donald Trump Can’t Actually Close ‘Parts of the Internet’_](http://time.com/4152583/donald-trump-internet/) ### See Donald Trump Hanging Out With Unlikely Celebrities  Donald Trump, owner of New York's Trump Tower, holds the bridle of a polo pony while talking to Andy Warhol on Nov. 4, 1983. Mario Suriani—AP  Donald Trump, Don King and Barbara Walters on Dec. 12, 1987. Ron Galella—Getty Images  Professional Wrestler Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant With Donald Trump. Russell Turiak—Getty Images  Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, his wife, actress Robin Givens and Donald Trump, leave the New York State Supreme Court building on July 22, 1988. Charles Wenzelberg—AP  Developer Donald Trump is flanked by super middleweight champion Thomas Hearns, left, of Detroit, and Michael Olajide of Canada at a news conference in New York on Feb. 15, 1990. Timothy Clary—AP  Alec Baldwin is joined by Donald Trump and Melania Knauss at benefit for the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on October 8, 1999. Richard Corkery—NY Daily News Archive/Getty Images  Katie Couric, left, co-host of NBC-TV's "Today" show, is dressed like Donald Trump, right, during a spoof of his "The Apprentice" reality television show, on the morning program's annual Halloween segment on Oct. 29, 2004. Richard Drew—AP  Donald Trump and Larry King arrive at the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump in New York on March 9, 2011. Charles Sykes—AP  Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, left, and Donald Trump appear onstage at the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump in New York on March 9, 2011. Charles Sykes—AP  Snoop Dogg and Donald Trump arrive at the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump in New York on March 9, 2011. Charles Sykes—AP  Martha Stewart and Donald Trump at Richard "Skip" Bronson's, "The War at the Shore" Book Publication Party held at Loews Regency Hotel in New York City on June 11, 2012. Sylvain Gaboury—Sipa USA  Tiger Woods stands with Donald Trump as he holds the Gene Serazen Cup for winning the Cadillac Championship golf tournament on March 10, 2013, in Doral, Fla. Wilfredo Lee—AP  Donald Trump and recording artist and host Nick Jonas joke around onstage during the 2013 Miss USA pageant at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on June 16, 2013 in Las Vegas. 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