Former President Trump’s occasional praise of authoritarian leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping makes him “more effective diplomatically,” Sen. J.D. Vance, Mr. Trump’s running mate, argued Sunday.
Appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” the Ohio senator hit back at online criticism of Mr. Trump’s remark at a Montana rally on Friday that the two foreign leaders are “lovely individuals.” Mr. Trump has also touted his personal bond with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent campaign and press events.
Mr. Vance argued that such rhetoric is a good thing, citing what he said was a record of accomplishment abroad during Mr. Trump’s term in office compared to the record of the Biden-Harris administration.
“I think that President Trump gets along with world leaders, and there’s nothing wrong with him complimenting them as people, if it makes him more effective diplomatically,” Mr. Vance said. “… You’re better able to lay down the law, like President Trump did, if you actually have a good relationship with people and they trust you to follow your word.”
While immigration, abortion and the economy top most lists of voter concerns, Republicans argue that Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic ticket will be on the defensive on foreign policy as well.
“We have to remember that Democrats, including Kamala Harris, attacked Donald Trump for having a good relationship with Vladimir Putin,” Mr. Vance said Sunday. “Well, when Donald Trump was president, Vladimir Putin didn’t invade another country. When Kamala Harris was vice president, he did. So maybe they should take a lesson from Trump’s playbook about diplomatic legitimacy, because I think Donald Trump got a lot done because world leaders respected him.”
Mr. Trump made his remarks in passing at the Montana rally while criticizing Ms. Harris’ refusal to sit for interviews or hold a press conference since becoming the Democratic nominee.
Republicans were again pointing Sunday to their rivals’ media-averse record: Mr. Vance appeared on three separate news talks shows Sunday, at CBS, CNN and ABC, while his Democratic counterpart, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, made no appearances at all.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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