WASHINGTON – Donald Trump, who drew criticism as US president for his praise of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, made his first public comment on the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Feb 19 in a cryptic social media post that cast no blame.

“The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our country,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform that appeared to link the death to Trump’s own political troubles.

“It is a slow, steady progression, with crooked, radical left politicians, prosecutors, and judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open borders, rigged elections, and grossly unfair courtroom decisions are destroying America. We are a nation in decline, a failing nation! MAGA2024.”

President Joe Biden on Feb 16 directly blamed Mr Putin for Navalny’s death in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle, as did Trump’s main Republican rival, Mrs Nikki Haley.

“Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death,” Mr Biden said.

Former presidents and top members of Congress from both parties had also denounced Mr Putin over the death of Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader since it was reported on Feb 16.

But Trump, the front runner for the Republican nomination to challenge Mr Biden in the November election, had remained silent until Feb 19.

During his White House tenure from 2017 to 2021, Trump expressed admiration for Mr Putin.

Last week, he suggested the United States might not protect Nato allies who are not spending enough on defence from a potential Russian invasion. REUTERS