Trump Says U.S. Working with Russia on Nuclear Nonproliferation, Again Rebuffing Fake News Question

President Donald Trump reiterated, yet again, yesterday, that when they spoke by phone on July 23, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed nuclear proliferation, not the fake news story about Russian military intelligence paying bounties to the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. “I read it all the time. I see it all the time. It was never brought to my attention. I think it’s another Russia hoax. They’ve been giving me the Russia hoax — Shifty Schiff and all these characters — from the day I got here,” Trump replied when asked about the story—once again—during yesterday’s press briefing in Belleair, Florida where he joined the governor to discuss the coronavirus situation in the state and hurricane preparations. “And we’re working with Russia right now on a nonproliferation agreement — nuclear nonproliferation [Trump provided no further details on this—ed.]. And if we can get something like that, it’d be great. But it was never brought to my attention, and — because it didn’t reach the level. There were a lot of people, including Democrats, that said it never took place. If it did take place, it would have been brought to my attention, and I would take very strong action. “