NEWS

He thinks Putin is helping Iran

Russian leaders told President Trump they aren't sharing intelligence with Iran as it fights the U.S. and Israel, special envoy Steve Witkoff said this week.

By CNBC

• March 13, 2026 at 4:24 PM

He thinks Putin is helping Iran Photo: CNBC

PresidentDonald Trumpon Friday said he believed that Russian leaderVladimir Putinis helpingIran in its waragainst theUnited Statesand 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.

"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 Witkofftold 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."
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