Trump's Treasury Secretary Slams Putin With Unexpectedly Strong Language

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68b6a8951800005e0f8c6ee0.jpeg?cache=dBqH5AalUo&ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="President Donald Trump, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin depart at the conclusion of a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025." data-caption="President Donald Trump, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin depart at the conclusion of a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025." data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="via Associated Press" />President Donald Trump, right, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin depart at the conclusion of a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.</div><div class="content-list-component text"><p><a href="news/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Donald Trump’s</a> Treasury secretary has just thrown some unexpected criticism at <a href="news/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vladimir Putin, </a>accusing him of behaving in a <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/bessent-warns-all-options-table-russia-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">“despicable manner”.</a></p><p>Despite the US president’s ongoing push for a peace deal to end the <a href="news/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ukraine</a> war, <a href="news/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Russia</a> has continued to hit its <a href="news/europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">European</a> neighbour with missiles and dr