‘Russia backs Kamala Harris’: Putin’s history of US election ‘endorsements’
For two decades, Russian President Putin has stirred the US election pot, including by signalling support for candidates.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his support for U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee, in the upcoming November presidential election. The nature of Putin’s remarks suggested he might have been joking or trolling the Harris campaign, particularly given recent allegations from the Biden administration that Russia is seeking to interfere in the election to benefit former President Donald Trump.
Regardless of his intentions, Putin’s comments are part of a broader pattern of attempts to involve Russia in U.S. electoral politics. This is not the first instance of Putin endorsing a U.S. presidential candidate. Since assuming Russia's top position in 2012, and having previously served as president from 2000 to 2008, Putin has made several such endorsements.
Al Jazeera reviews Putin’s history of provocative statements regarding U.S. elections:
2004: Putin Endorses Bush
In October 2004, Putin endorsed then-Republican President George W. Bush, suggesting that a Bush loss would lead to global “spread of terrorism.” This was amid criticism from Democratic challenger John Kerry regarding Bush’s handling of terrorism, particularly following the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Bush was re-elected, defeating Kerry.
2008: Preference for Obama
Although Putin did not explicitly endorse a candidate in the 2008 U.S. presidential race, it was widely perceived that Russia favored Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain. Kremlin officials believed that Obama, as a newcomer, might offer a fresh start for U.S.-Russia relations, unlike McCain, a Cold War veteran. Obama won the election, succeeding Bush.
2012: Praise for Obama
Ahead of the 2012 election, Putin praised Obama, calling him “an honest person who really wants to change much for the better.” This was in contrast to Mitt Romney, whom Putin described as “mistaken” in his characterization of Russia as the top “geopolitical foe” of the U.S. Obama won a second term, defeating Romney.
2015: Trump’s Admiration
In the lead-up to the 2016 election, Putin described Trump as “bright and talented” during an annual news conference. Trump was running against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Following Trump’s victory, Putin referred to him as a “clever man” who would “quickly understand” his role in office.
2016: DNC Hack and Election Interference
In July 2016, Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails were hacked and leaked, revealing favoritism toward Clinton and angering supporters of Bernie Sanders. The U.S. government, through the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, attributed the hack to Russia. Putin denied Russian involvement but acknowledged the importance of the leaked content. The U.S. also accused Russia of broader election interference aimed at aiding Trump.
2019: Joking About 2020 Election Interference
In October 2019, during Russian Energy Week, Putin humorously claimed he would interfere with the 2020 U.S. election, though he quickly added that he did not. He insisted that he did not meddle in the 2016 election and was focused on domestic issues in Russia. “We have our own problems,” he said.
