President Trump jokes with Russian President Putin about Russian election meddling and getting “rid” of journalists

President Donald Trump joked with Russian President Vladimir Putin about meddling in the US elections. After the two leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit, a reporter shouted a question at President Trump about whether he’d warned President Putin not to interfere in US democracy. The US president replied, “Yes, of course I will.” He then turned to Putin, with a slight smirk, and told him: “Don’t meddle in the election, President.” He then pointed toward the Russian delegation and repeated, “Don’t meddle in the election.” In addition to his comedic riff about election meddling, President Trump joked with President Putin about the threat of “fake news.” President Trump commiserated with President Putin about journalists, telling him: “Get rid of them.” “Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia, but we do.” “We also have,” Putin answered, in English. “It’s the same.”