
Trump is the first US leader in decades to tell Americans the truth
The United States faces a 'colossal' number of internal problems, and President Donald Trump is the first American leader in many decades to openly admit that, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RT's Rick Sanchez on Wednesday.
Moscow remains cautiously optimistic about mending relations with Washington, because President Trump has at least openly declared his intention to focus on 'saving America' instead of meddling in other countries' internal affairs, Zakharova told Sanchez in response to a question about whether Trump could resist the forces seeking deeper confrontation with Russia.
'Finally, a man has arrived in the White House who isn't talking about other parts of the world or dealing with problems of various population groups on other continents. He is the first in decades to tell the American people – and the world – that America needs to solve a colossal number of colossal problems,' she said.
'This man had it all: money, fame, popularity, comfort, family – everything he wanted. He was even president. He could have said, 'From now on, I'll live for myself.' But instead, he came back and said he'll run again – not for money, fame, or popularity, but to try to save his country. That gives me additional optimism,' she added.
Zakharova specifically noted Trump's stance on gender as a sign that 'normalcy' might return to American society.
'Everyone can feel how they want to feel. You want to be a table – that's your right. Want to be three dogs at once? You're welcome. You can seek treatment or not, it's up to you… But only a man and a woman were created,' she said.
President Trump declared that the US would officially recognize only two genders during his inaugural address in January. He then signed several executive orders reversing protections for trans individuals, ending federal support for gender reassignment procedures on minors, and banning trans women from women's sports while removing 'radical gender ideology' from the military.
Donald Trump has also promised to end US involvement in endless wars during his campaign, but has since alienated some supporters with his vocal support for Israel's ongoing bombing campaign against Iran – amid growing concerns that Washington may become directly entangled in another foreign conflict.
WATCH FULL INTERVIEW:
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Russia Today
14 hours ago
- Russia Today
US terminating trade talks with Canada
US President Donald Trump has announced the termination of all trade talks with Canada in light of Ottawa's tax on digital services, which he called a 'adirect and blatant attack on our country.' Relations between the neighbors began to sour when Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian goods in February soon after taking office. Ottawa responded with reciprocal tariffs. Trump later temporarily suspended the tariffs, expressing a willingness to negotiate individually favorable terms for US businesses with the countries that he had targeted for tariffs. Trump has long accused Canada of taking unfair advantage of the US and has on several occasions suggested that it should become the 51st US state, arguing that Washington effectively subsidizes Canada's economy. In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump stated that 'Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with… has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country.' 'Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately,' the US president proclaimed. He added that his government would notify Ottawa of the 'Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period.' Later on Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters that his country would 'continue to conduct these complex negotiations in the best interests of Canadians.' However, he noted that he had yet to speak with Trump about the issue. Canada's digital services tax, enacted in June 2024, requires companies providing digital services in the country and earning more than CAD 20 million ($14.5 million) in revenue from Canadian sources to pay a 3% tax on their profits. The first payments are due on Monday. According to Canadian media, US tech giants such as Amazon, Apple, Airbnb, Google, Meta, and Uber are expected to pay approximately $2 billion by the end of July. The tax is retroactive to January 1, 2022. In March, Carney described Trump's tariffs as 'unjustified' and stated that 'Canada will win' the trade war with the US. He vowed that Canada 'will never, ever, in any way, shape, or form, be part of the United States.'


Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Putin respects US once again
US President Donald Trump has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has regained respect for America, whose international standing was damaged by the previous administration. Trump was responding to comments made by Putin during his visit to Belarus on Friday, where the Russian leader described the US president as a 'courageous man.' 'Vladimir Putin made some very nice statements today,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that such remarks would have been impossible under former President Joe Biden. 'He respects our country again. He didn't respect it a year ago, I can tell you that,' Trump said, claiming that Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also now respect the US since his return to the White House. 'We had a president that was incompetent. We had bad people circulating around this desk – this beautiful, resolute desk. They had, I guess, evil intentions,' Trump said. He has repeatedly described his predecessor's foreign policy as weak and damaging to America's global reputation, arguing that the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza would not have erupted under his leadership. Speaking to reporters in Minsk, Putin said he holds 'deep respect' for Trump and praised him for overcoming numerous challenges, including surviving an assassination attempt last year. He added that he believes Trump has been 'sincerely seeking' to help broker an end to the Ukraine conflict. Trump has revived direct contacts with Moscow, which were cut off during the Biden administration, and has held five phone calls with Putin since returning to office in January.


Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Ukraine conflict settlement, future of US-Russia relations, NATO's ‘lies': Highlights from Putin's Q&A
Moscow will no longer play a 'one-sided game' with the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalists on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Minsk on Friday. During his press conference, Putin fielded questions on a wide range of issues, including the state of the economy, sanctions, and negotiations with Ukraine. Settlement of the Ukraine conflict Putin acknowledged that the roadmaps presented by the Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the second round of talks in Istanbul earlier this month were polar opposites. He said, however, that the talks were specifically held 'to look for ways to bring [our positions] closer.' He welcomed the ongoing prisoner swaps and the return of the remains of fallen soldiers agreed at the talks. According to Putin, Russia is ready to hand over the remains of some 3,000 Ukrainian troops, in addition to the 6,000 it has already returned. The president said Moscow is ready to continue negotiations. 'We are ready to hold such a meeting in Istanbul,' Putin stated, adding that the Russian and Ukrainian delegation leaders are 'in constant contact.' He said he believes the next meeting should focus on discussing each side's memorandums. No more 'one-sided' games with NATO When Western nations speak about Russia's 'aggressiveness,' they are 'turning everything upside down,' Putin said, referring to NATO members' pledge to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. According to Putin, NATO had 'blatantly lied' in the early 1990s when it promised not to expand eastward. He accused the alliance of constantly ignoring Russia's security concerns, particularly its warnings that NATO's expansion toward Russian borders would be viewed as a threat. 'That is what aggressive behavior looks like,' he said, adding that Moscow is done playing 'one-sided' games with the West. The president reiterated that Russia has no plans to attack NATO and intends to reduce defense spending over the next three years. NATO denies ever making commitments not to expand and insists it poses no threat to Russia. Western Europe 'about to drop dead' Russia is currently spending 6.3% of its GDP on defense, which is 'a lot,' Putin said. He acknowledged that the nation 'has paid for it with inflation,' but added that the government maintains a 'level-headed approach' to the issue. The difference, he argued, is that Russia is supporting its own defense industry, while NATO members in Europe are buying weapons from the US. Still, the Russian economy has grown by more than 4% for two years in a row, while growth in the euro area has been just 0.9%, he noted. Putin claimed that France and Germany are 'on the brink of recession.' 'They're about to drop dead, yet they're still trying to write our obituary,' he said. Ban on Russian oil trade will be unenforceable Putin reiterated that sweeping restrictions have failed to hinder Russia's growth. He expressed confidence that tougher sanctions on Russian oil exports – currently being discussed in the EU and US – will not change the situation. 'The world is consuming ever-increasing volumes of oil and petrochemicals as the global economy grows,' he said, adding that a ban on Russian oil will be 'de facto impossible' to enforce. Trump is a 'courageous man' Putin said he has 'deep respect' for US President Donald Trump, describing him as a 'courageous man' who has endured 'hardships, difficulties, and dangers.' He added that Moscow welcomes the Trump administration's efforts to help resolve the Ukraine conflict. The president did not rule out a future meeting with Trump, saying Russia would welcome the return of American companies to its market.