Donald Trump’s top envoy Steve Witkoff has offered a rare glimpse into the unique dynamic between the US President and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
According to Witkoff, Putin prayed for Trump’s well-being after the attempted assassination at a campaign rally last summer. This gesture was not only a demonstration of Putin’s concern but also highlighted the friendship between the two leaders.
Witkoff shared this anecdote during an appearance on former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s podcast, recounting his second meeting with Putin. The Russian president had visited his local church, met with his priest, and prayed for Trump’s recovery.
“When the president was shot, he went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed for the president,” Witkoff said of Putin.
Putin “had a friendship with him and he was praying for his friend,” he explained. He added that when he told the same to Trump, he was “clearly touched.”
“This is the kind of connection that we have been able to reestablish through a simple word called communication, which many people would say I shouldn’t have had because Putin is a bad guy. I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy. That is a complicated situation, that war… You know,… pic.twitter.com/KRcFmWl0dl
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) March 22, 2025
This revelation comes after Trump was grazed by a bullet fired by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks during a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. At the time, a Kremlin spokesperson blamed the shooting on Trump’s political adversaries.
In another gesture of goodwill, Putin commissioned a “beautiful portrait” of Trump by a top Russian artist, which was gifted to Trump. This move underscores the cordial relationship between Putin and Trump, with the latter having expressed admiration for the Russian leader on multiple occasions. Trump has referred to Putin as a “genius” and “a strong leader,” prompting criticism from those who accuse him of being soft on the Kremlin.
The dynamics between Putin and Trump have been subject to intense scrutiny, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Earlier this week, the two leaders engaged in a two-hour phone call to discuss ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Trump described the conversation as “very good and productive,” highlighting the ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict.
