Former CIA Director Leon Panetta recently suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin views former President Donald Trump as a valuable "source" to further his own agenda. Speaking on the *One Decision* podcast, Panetta discussed journalist Bob Woodward's revelations from his book *War*, which claims that Trump and Putin had as many as seven private phone calls since Trump left office in early 2021.
Panetta found it highly unusual for a former U.S. president to maintain such frequent, direct communication with a foreign leader, especially one leading a major geopolitical rival. According to Panetta, Putin likely sees Trump as a key asset he can leverage. "Putin knows how to work a source, and with someone of Trump's stature in the U.S., he’s going to exploit that connection," Panetta remarked. He warned that Trump may have unwittingly positioned himself as a tool for Putin’s manipulation.
Panetta raised deeper concerns about Trump's loyalty, questioning whether his primary allegiance lies with the United States or with his own self-interest. The former CIA director emphasized that ongoing conversations between a past U.S. president and a foreign adversary pose significant national security risks. "The fact that a former president is regularly communicating with our main adversary raises serious questions about his true loyalties," Panetta said.
The claims about the Trump-Putin phone calls, detailed in Woodward's book, have stirred significant media attention. However, Trump has denied the allegations, with his campaign communications director, Steven Cheung, dismissing the claims as fabrications from a "demented" journalist. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also rejected the report as false.
Scrutiny of Trump's relationship with Putin dates back to the 2016 presidential campaign, when Trump publicly urged Russia to find Hillary Clinton's missing emails. This led to heightened concerns about Russian interference in the election and sparked a special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller. While Mueller's report confirmed that Russia sought to assist Trump's campaign, it did not find conclusive evidence of conspiracy between Trump's team and the Russian government.
Reflecting on a 2018 summit between Trump and Putin, Panetta recalled being alarmed when Trump publicly sided with Russian intelligence over U.S. intelligence agencies regarding election interference. Panetta described this moment as indicative of Trump's willingness to align with Russia, labeling him a "very dangerous person." Even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Trump has continued to praise Putin, calling him "smart" and maintaining that they had a "very good relationship."
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