Corey Lewandowski: ‘For His People, Vladimir Putin Has Been a Fighter’

Former Donald Trump campaign manager and CNN contributor Corey Lewandowski defended his former boss’s rhetoric about Russian leader Vladimir Putin Friday morning, saying that Putin was a better advocate for his people than Barack Obama.

“Why does Donald Trump continue to praise Putin?” asked New Day host Alisyn Camerota.

“Well, I think you heard what Mike Pence said, that Vladimir Putin has had a stronger influence on his country than Barack Obama has had here. He’s been a stronger leader,” said Lewandowski.

“You believe that? You believe that Vladimir Putin is stronger than President Obama?” she asked.

“I think that for his people, Vladimir Putin has been a fighter,” he said. “And what he has done for his people is to say– look, there’s an opportunity sometimes to work with our what would be normally an adversary. What Donald Trump has said was let’s engage with Russia for a common goal, which is defeat to ISIS.”

Lewandowski acknowledged that Putin has done terrible things, and that there’s been “speculation and conjecture” about his rule. Still, he argued, “we should be working with out adversaries so they can become our friends.”

Watch above, via CNN.

[Image via screengrab]

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