MSNBC reporter Vaughn Hillyard spoke with Donald Trump supporters at a campaign event to discuss their thoughts about Russian President Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine and the enormous death toll it caused, RadarOnline.com has learned.
One woman Hillyard interviewed wore a Trump mugshot T-shirt that read “Not Guilty” and told the reporter, “I think that people are just ridiculous that they think that Putin’s just such this enemy. He isn’t doing anything, he just wants back what was his.”
Hillyard reiterated that Putin and the Russians "invaded Ukraine, killing thousands of people,” and she responded by saying, "That's fine ... That's fine with me."
Hillyard spoke to another Trump supporter and asked, "You’re a veteran yourself. Does it concern you at all that Russian aggression could move even beyond Ukraine?"
"I don’t think Putin’s a problem, I think [Volodymyr] Zelensky’s the problem," the man said. "This administration’s trying to start a war with Russia. Putin’s not our enemy."
MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace, shocked by the response from the comments made by the supporters at the Trump rally, followed up the interview clips by reiterating, "Those were just a few individual members very enthusiastic about Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. And this is the shocking reality of the impact, right?"
"We now have covered it for nine years. That’s what they believe. That’s the reality of the impact of the lies told by Donald Trump," she continued. "Most people in the past wouldn’t have tolerated him once, let alone three times."
Wallace spoke to Jean Becker, the former chief of staff to George H.W. Bush, who wrote a book titled Character Matters. Becker said they wrote the book to remind people that "it used to not always be this way."
"There was a time in our country, President Bush called it a 'kinder and gentler nation,'" Baker said. "I wanted an example of what leadership is, and what leadership could be, and can be."
“One of my favorite quotes in the book is former Prime Minister John Major of Great Britain, who wrote that, ‘Working with George Herbert Walker Bush was like taking a master class in leadership.’ And there is just a lot to learn from him. And so, that is everyone’s assignment," she told Wallace. "Read the book. And then you could figure out how you feel about what is going on today. It isn’t right. It shouldn’t be this way."
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As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the former President's niece, Mary Trump, claims her uncle's supporters are "very down with fascism."
Mary expressed her frustration with the "tens of millions" of Americans who continue to support her uncle. She believes that the issue of authoritarianism within the Republican party will continue to be a contentious topic as the 2024 presidential election continues.