Despite the tragic death of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who died under suspicious circumstances in a Russian penal colony, former President Donald Trump has been using Navalny’s legacy to draw a false parallel with his own legal predicaments. Critics have been quick to condemn Trump’s failure to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, a leader notorious for suppressing democracy and persecuting political opponents.
During a Fox News town hall, Trump offered a lukewarm tribute to Navalny, calling him “a very brave guy” but suggesting he should not have returned to Russia. However, he quickly shifted focus to his own claims of political persecution, drawing a false equivalence between his situation and that of Navalny.
Trump’s comparison is flawed on multiple levels. Unlike Russia, the United States offers constitutional guarantees of a fair trial and political freedoms. Furthermore, Trump, who has been indicted multiple times, is entitled to the presumption of innocence and has the right to appeal, rights that do not exist in the Russian legal system.
President Joe Biden has expressed his outrage over Trump’s refusal to condemn Putin’s role in Navalny’s death. He highlighted the stark differences between the situations of Trump and Navalny, the latter having returned to Russia despite nearly dying from a poisoning attempt he attributed to Kremlin agents.
Trump’s authoritarian tendencies suggest a closer alignment with Putin than Navalny. His pursuit of absolute presidential immunity and an unconstrained presidency mirrors the Russian model more than the American one. Trump’s admiration for Putin, whom he has described as “a genius” and “smart”, and his actions during his presidency that often aligned with Russian interests, further underscore this point.
Trump’s refusal to openly discuss Navalny’s death comes at a critical time when US-Russian relations are strained and the debate over US support for Ukraine is causing deep political divides. This issue is likely to be a significant factor in the upcoming election clash between Biden and Trump.
Biden has been vocal in his criticism of Trump’s recent comments, including his suggestion that he would encourage Russia to invade NATO partners that did not meet their defense spending targets. The White House is preparing a new round of sanctions on Russia following Navalny’s death, adding to the existing restrictions imposed over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Biden is also using Trump’s attempt to draw comparisons with Navalny to highlight his predecessor’s unfitness for a return to the Oval Office. He has called on Republicans to choose between serving Trump or the American people.
As the second anniversary of the Russian invasion approaches, Biden has assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of continued US support. However, given the political stalemate in Washington and Trump’s apparent deference to Putin, Ukraine’s future, as well as America’s, will be a key issue in the upcoming November election.