Russia’s Vladimir Putin sent President Donald Trump a little morale boost Friday as the release of the explosive Epstein files looms. The Russian president waded into Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC in the middle of his end-of-year press conference, throwing his support behind the American leader. Calling the lawsuit a “family matter” and claiming he didn’t want to “rub salt” in the wound by commenting on it, Putin nonetheless went on to prop up Trump, telling reporters that inaccurate reporting in the press really is a “problem.” “It’s obvious. I think President Trump is right,” he said. Trump filed the lawsuit against the British broadcaster earlier this month after claiming they “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively” edited a speech he made before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to imply he’d encouraged the insurrection. The BBC has since apologized to Trump for editing the clip but said it will defend itself against the case. Putin’s support for Trump comes as the U.S. president and his team brace for the release of files related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, a former pal of Trump.
Read it at Reuters
