Trump declines to say Russia is a security threat
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump declined Monday to tag Russia as a security threat, saying he would put "many countries" in that category instead.
"I consider many countries as a security threat, unfortunately, when you look at what's going on in the world today," Trump said after a Finnish broadcaster asked specifically about Russia and whether the president would consider it a threat to security.
The president commented during a White House news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto after they met in the Oval Office.
The Finnish broadcaster referenced Niinisto's concern about the security in the Baltic region and Russian planes flying there without transponders, which transmit information about their locations. The reporter asked Trump, "Would you consider Russia as a security threat?"
"We consider that a very, very important part of the world," Trump said, noting US relationships with countries in the region. "And so I would consider many countries threats, but these are all threats that we'd be able to handle if we have to. Hopefully we won't have to handle them, but if we do we will handle them."
