Donald Trump: No proof Putin has 'killed anybody'
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday appeared to defend Russian President Vladimir Putin against allegations he has ordered journalists and political rivals killed, as Trump's opponents stepped up their criticism of the warming Trump-Putin relationship.
Trump said it would be "despicable" for the Russian leader to kill journalists. "Yes, sure, there are allegations. I've read those allegations over the years, but nobody's proven that he's killed anybody as far as I'm concerned," Trump said on ABC's This Week.
Last week, Putin praised the real-estate magnate as "bright and talented" and "the absolute leader of the presidential race." Trump responded with warm words of his own, calling it "a great honor to be so nicely complimented."
Trump's rivals on Sunday criticized the developer for appearing to embrace the Russian leader's praise.
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who has intensified his criticism of Trump in recent days, called Putin "a dictator" and "a bully."
"We need a president that actually will stand up for American interests whether it's in Europe or the Middle East," Bush said on CBS' Face the Nation. "That's how you create a better relationship with Putin. You don't you brag about what a great guy he is. He's not."