Gabbard says Trump and Putin are ‘very good friends’ focused on strengthening ties

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin “are very good friends” who are focused on ways to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Russia.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin “are very good friends” who are focused on ways to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Russia.

The two Presidents plan to speak on Tuesday (March 18, 2025) about the war in Ukraine.

Ms. Gabbard said ties between Russia and the U.S. go “very far back” and that President Trump is committed to expanding a relationship centered “around peace, prosperity, freedom and security.”

“We have two leaders of two great countries who are very good friends and very focused on how we can strengthen the shared objectives and shared interests,” Ms. Gabbard said in an interview with NDTV, portions of which were released Monday ahead of its broadcast.

Ms. Gabbard's comments reflect the dramatic shift in U.S.-Russia relations under President Trump, who has boasted of his relationship with the Russian President, blamed Ukraine for Russia's invasion and taken a hard line against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Under Trump's administration, the U.S. briefly suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine and also has suspended some offensive cyberoperations against Russia.

Ms. Gabbard, who oversees the nation's intelligence services, has in the past echoed Russian propaganda about the war and expressed sympathy for Russia. A veteran, Ms. Gabbard became the first Hindu elected to Congress when she served as a representative from Hawaii.

The comments about the friendship between the Presidents and the ties between the U.S. and Russia — longtime adversaries — alarmed some critics of Trump's call for warmer relations with Moscow.