Clinton calls Trump ‘Putin’s puppet’ amid reports of Russian interference in 2020 election

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called President Trump “Putin’s Puppet” and claimed he “can’t win” without foreign help after a report this week said that intelligence officials are warning of Russian interference in the 2020 election.

“Putin’s Puppet is at it again, taking Russian help for himself,” Clinton, Trump’s 2016 election rival, tweeted Friday. “He knows he can’t win without it. And we can’t let it happen.”

Putin’s Puppet is at it again, taking Russian help for himself.

He knows he can’t win without it. And we can’t let it happen. https://t.co/10Z2YIipOI

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 21, 2020

Her tweet comes in response to reports that Trump chose not to nominate his acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire on a permanent basis and accused him of disloyalty because of a briefing on election security to the House Intelligence Committee.

During the briefing, intelligence officials reportedly told lawmakers that Russia was again interfering in the U.S. election with the goal of helping reelect Trump. The president was worried that Democrats on the committee would use the intelligence information against him, The New York Times reported.

Many Democrats have seized on the new reports to address election security and interference from Russia, hitting Trump for not taking a tougher stance.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted Thursday that “now we know why” Senate Republicans continue blocking election security bills, linking to the Times article.

“They’d rather let Putin win than stand up to President Trump,” Schumer tweeted.

Clinton first used the term on the campaign trail, saying if he won he would be “Putin’s puppet,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. She has frequently referred to Trump as “Putin’s puppet” since intelligence officials confirmed Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election in an effort to boost Trump.

Since the election, Democrats have sought to pass election security bills to protect U.S. infrastructure, though House-passed efforts have stalled in the GOP-controlled Senate. 

Trump dismissed new reports of meddling on Friday as a Democratic “misinformation campaign,” appearing to break with his own intelligence community.