Donald Trump Just Shared a Cozy Joke With Vladimir Putin

About what else? The media.

Mikhail Klimentyev/Zuma

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A Russian journalist and member of the Kremlin press pool reports that during the photo-op before the much-anticipated Putin-Trump meeting at the G20 summit, he heard Russian President Vladimir Putin ask a question in English of President Donald Trump. With the cameras clicking and journalists yelling out questions, Putin leaned over and, gesturing with his thumb toward the American reporters, asked Trump, according to a tweet from Dmitri Smirnov of Komsomolskaya Pravda, “Are these the ones who insulted you?” With the reporters being ushered out, Trump replied, “These are the ones.” Putin leaned back and laughed, and with a chuckle Trump seemed to add, “You’re right about that.”

Here’s the clip from Smirnov: 

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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