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NH Today, Pompeo on Putin: "He is evil and smart. Those can both be true."

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Photo: Getty Images

Former Secretary of State Pompeo on Trump’s praise of Putin, “President Trump and I refuse to live in a fantasy world. You have to know your enemy. It is not a sign of admiration to say that a person who is trying to kill European citizens is evil and smart. Those can both be true.”

In an interview with WGIR’s Chris Ryan, Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State and CIA Director for President Trump, discusses the ramifications of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia; shares his evaluation of Vladimir Putin; indirectly comments on President Trump’s positive remarks about Putin; asserts that Putin is attacking Ukraine because he senses weakness in Joe Biden and western resolve to stopping him; assesses whether Russia would have tried something like this Trump were still President; and predicts what Putin and the United States might do next.

Secretary Pompeo expresses his concern for the Ukrainian people, and he expects that Russia will take either a great big chunk of Ukraine, if not all of it. Pompeo foresees that there will be a severe economic impact due to price increases on gasoline, heating oil, and fertilizer which will increase food prices here and around the world. 

“It is deeply saddening that Vladimir Putin has made this decision, and that the President of the United States hasn’t acted in a way that would have deterred it.”

As Secretary of State and CIA Director, Mike Pompeo, through briefings and personal interaction, has gathered lots of intelligence about Vladimir Putin. Secretary Pompeo believes that Putin firmly believes that Ukraine and other former members of the Soviet Union must be returned to Russian control.  

“He is shrewd, he is cunning, he is also evil, and he must be deterred.”

Recently, President Trump made some positive remarks about Vladimir Putin. Secretary Pompeo gives a degree of clarification to his former boss’ comments.

“President Trump and I refuse to live in a fantasy world. You have to know your enemy. It is not a sign of admiration to say that a person who is trying to kill European citizens is evil and smart. Those can both be true.”

Secretary Pompeo believes that Putin has been emboldened to invade Ukraine because he senses weakness in our leadership. Our disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and our lack of response when Russian hackers shut down a gasoline pipeline for three days have given him the impression that we are unable or unwilling to respond forcefully.

Despite ongoing allegations that President Trump was colluding with Russia, Secretary Pompeo maintains the Trump Administration kept Putin in check with appropriate sanctions and an America first attitude.

In the final segment of the interview, Secretary Pompeo speculates that Putin has an overall plan, but he is likely going to make adjustments as he goes. It is possible that the acquisition of Ukraine is just a first step in the rebuilding of the Russian Empire, and it is possible that the United States, NATO, and the rest of the world will respond in ways that will stop him.

“We should demand that all of the countries around the world from Asia to the Middle East, certainly the countries of Europe need to lead, each of them need to condemn what took place, and use the tools in their kit bag, to oppose Vladimir Putin.”


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