White House Reacts to Putin’s Endorsement of Harris
White House adviser John Kirby has urged Vladimir Putin to refrain from any “interference” in the US presidential race following the Russian leader's endorsement of Kamala Harris. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Russian president's comments regarding the upcoming U.S. presidential election have drawn criticism from John Kirby, the White House National Security Communications Advisor. Kirby emphasized that Vladimir Putin should not be involved in the electoral process ahead of the November 5 vote, particularly following Putin's suggestion that Moscow would support the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris.
Since 2016, U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Russia of attempting to influence public opinion and meddle in American elections. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kirby stated, “Mr. Putin ought to stop talking about our elections, period. He shouldn’t be favoring anybody one way or another.” He insisted that the American people will ultimately determine the outcome of the elections.
Kirby further expressed, “And we would greatly appreciate it if Mr. Putin would, A, stop talking about our election and, B, stop interfering in it.”
Earlier on the same day, during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin acknowledged his past support for U.S. President Joe Biden, noting that the veteran politician had since been “removed” from the race. He mentioned that with Biden's call for supporters to back Kamala Harris as the new Democratic contender, the Kremlin was inclined to follow suit.
Putin observed that Harris's “infectious” laughter indicated that “everything is going well for her.” He also mentioned a hope that her positive demeanor would lead to fewer sanctions against Russia compared to those imposed by former President Donald Trump, who he claimed had enacted more restrictions on Moscow than any other U.S. president.
When questioned about extending congratulations to the eventual winner in November, Putin remarked on the lack of direct communication he has had with Western leaders in recent times. “In the end, the choice is up to the American people and we will treat their eventual decision with respect,” he concluded.
In response to the day's events, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump commented on Putin's endorsement of Harris: “He endorsed Kamala, and I didn’t know if I was supposed to call him up and say, ‘Thank you very much’ … I don’t know exactly what to say about it. I don’t know if I’m insulted or he did me a favor.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
Since 2016, U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Russia of attempting to influence public opinion and meddle in American elections. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kirby stated, “Mr. Putin ought to stop talking about our elections, period. He shouldn’t be favoring anybody one way or another.” He insisted that the American people will ultimately determine the outcome of the elections.
Kirby further expressed, “And we would greatly appreciate it if Mr. Putin would, A, stop talking about our election and, B, stop interfering in it.”
Earlier on the same day, during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin acknowledged his past support for U.S. President Joe Biden, noting that the veteran politician had since been “removed” from the race. He mentioned that with Biden's call for supporters to back Kamala Harris as the new Democratic contender, the Kremlin was inclined to follow suit.
Putin observed that Harris's “infectious” laughter indicated that “everything is going well for her.” He also mentioned a hope that her positive demeanor would lead to fewer sanctions against Russia compared to those imposed by former President Donald Trump, who he claimed had enacted more restrictions on Moscow than any other U.S. president.
When questioned about extending congratulations to the eventual winner in November, Putin remarked on the lack of direct communication he has had with Western leaders in recent times. “In the end, the choice is up to the American people and we will treat their eventual decision with respect,” he concluded.
In response to the day's events, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump commented on Putin's endorsement of Harris: “He endorsed Kamala, and I didn’t know if I was supposed to call him up and say, ‘Thank you very much’ … I don’t know exactly what to say about it. I don’t know if I’m insulted or he did me a favor.”
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
