Politics

Key Points

  • President Donald Trump said he thought Russian leader Vladimir Putin is helping Iran in the war against the United States and Israel.
  • Trump’s comment came in a radio interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade. A week before, Trump blasted Fox News reporter Peter Doocy for asking him about Russia aiding Iran.
  • Russian leaders recently denied to Trump that they were giving Iran intelligence during the war, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told CNBC.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the presidential council for civil society and human rights via a video link in Moscow, Russia, December 9, 2025.

Gavriil Grigorov | Via Reuters

President Donald Trump on Friday said he believed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is helping Iran in its war against the United States and Israel.

Trump’s comment came in a radio interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, and a week after the president lashed out at Fox News reporter Peter Doocy for asking him at the White House about reports that Russia was aiding Iran.

Kilmeade asked Trump on Friday, “You think Putin is helping them?”

Trump replied, “I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah.”

“I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?” Trump continued.

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“Yeah, we’re helping them also,” Trump said, referring to Ukraine, which has been at war against Russia since being invaded in early 2022.

“So he [Putin] says that, and China would say the same thing, you know,” Trump told Kilmeade.

“It’s like, ‘Hey, they do it, and we do it, in all fairness,'” Trump said. “They do it, and we do it.”

Trump had a call with Putin on Monday.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that during that call, “The Russians said they have not been sharing” intelligence with Iran.

“So, you know, we can take them at their word,” Witkoff said that day. “Let’s hope that they’re not sharing.”