Donald Trump says to Bernie Sanders: ‘Don’t let them take it away from you’

Donald Trump has complimented Vermont senator Bernie Sanders for winning the Nevada caucuses amid claims that Russia has been interfering with Sanders’ campaign.

US President Donald Trump has denied being told by intelligence officials that Russia is intervening in the 2020 primaries.

“Nobody said it to me at all,” Mr Trump said on Sunday local time, when asked if he has been briefed that Russia is trying to help Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.

Mr Trump fielded questions from reporters on the White House lawn before he departed for India.

He previously expressed his surprise at the news on Twitter.

“The Kremlin is reportedly backing Bernie Sanders bid to win the White House.” Jon Scott @FoxNews Why didn’t somebody tell me this?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 23, 2020

Asked by reporters if he thought Mr Sanders would be the nominee, Mr Trump said, “I think so — unless they cheat him out of it.”

“I hope they treat him fairly,” Mr Trump said, referring to Mr. Sanders’ Democratic party.

“I hope it’s not going to be a rigged deal because there’s a lot of bad things going on,” he said, suggesting that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, who served as the lead House impeachment manager, might have leaked false information about Russia.

‘The Democrats are treating Bernie Sanders very unfairly,” Mr. Trump said.

“And it sounds to me like a leak from Adam Schiff because they don’t want Bernie Sanders to represent them,” Mr Trump said.

Looks like Crazy Bernie is doing well in the Great State of Nevada. Biden & the rest look weak, & no way Mini Mike can restart his campaign after the worst debate performance in the history of Presidential Debates. Congratulations Bernie, & don’t let them take it away from you!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2020

“It sounds like it’s ‘16 all over again for Bernie Sanders. And he won he had a great victory yesterday. But you know what’s happening, you can see the handwriting on the wall,” he added.

Mr Trump also took to Twitter on Saturday to tweet a warning to Democrat voters, saying they needed to “be careful,” — just hours after he had dismissed a claim that the Kremlin was election meddling again.

Democrats in the Great State of Nevada (Which, because of the Economy, Jobs, the Military & Vets, I will win in November), be careful of Russia, Russia, Russia. According to Corrupt politician Adam “Shifty” Schiff, they are pushing for Crazy Bernie Sanders to win. Vote!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2020

The tweet came after Friday’s news that Democratic frontrunner Bernie Sanders had been informed by Washington officials that the Kremlin was trying to assist his presidential campaign.

Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Las Vegas Convention Center ahead of the Nevada Democratic presidential caucus. Picture: Mario Tama/Getty Images/AFP

But those Russian espionage claims and attacks from rivals were shrugged off by supporters of Mr Sanders as the Vermont senator galvanised crowds for the latest Democratic presidential nomination vote.

On a cold and wintry Friday night at the Nevada nature centre, where Sanders hosted his final rally a day before the desert state’s caucuses begin, the audience’s fanatical faith in the leftist firebrand was palpable.

US President Donald Trump dismissed reported warnings by US intelligence that Russia is meddling in this year's elections as a "hoax" planted by his Democratic rivals. Picture: AFP

This information, and Sanders’ swift rebuttal, appeared to have only strengthened convictions.

“Bernie’s not gonna allow it,” said military veteran Brenda Bolton, 67.

There is no more obvious and pathetic sign of Democrats’ panic about the upcoming 2020 election than the convenient return of the “Russia is meddling in our elections!” hysteria

As crazy as it is predictable

— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) February 21, 2020

MSDNC (Comcast Slime), @CNN and others of the Fake Media, have now added Crazy Bernie to the list of Russian Sympathizers, along with @TulsiGabbard & Jill Stein (of the Green Party), both agents of Russia, they say. But now they report President Putin wants Bernie (or me) to win.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2020

....The reason for this is that the Do Nothing Democrats, using disinformation Hoax number 7, don’t want Bernie Sanders to get the Democrat Nomination, and they figure this would be very bad for his chances. It’s all rigged, again, against Crazy Bernie Sanders!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2020

“He doesn’t want interference — Trump does, Trump welcomes it.”

“It speaks a lot that the day before the Nevada caucus, it just so happens that there’s information leaks,” added 23-year-old Mr Jones, in a conspiratorial tone. “There’s a lot of shady stuff happening.”

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Democratic presidential hopeful Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has shrugged off reports that Russia is helping his campaign. Picture: AFP

Nevada polls indicate that Mr Sanders’ support is growing — he has surged to a double-digit lead in the contest.

Mr Trump’s tweets came after The New York Times published a report claiming that the Kremlin wanted to see the US president win re-election because it would be better for their interests.

But Mr Trump said on Sunday that he has never been briefed about Russian efforts to help Bernie Sanders win the Democratic presidential nomination and he accused the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee of leaking election security information from a classified briefing.

“I read where Russia is helping Bernie Sanders,” Mr Trump told reporters before leaving on a trip to India.

“Nobody said it to me. Nobody said it to me at all. Nobody briefed me about that at all. ... They leaked it.”

He accused Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the committee chairman who played a lead role in Mr Trump’s impeachment, of leaking information from a classified briefing.

“Schiff and his group, they leaked it to the papers and as usual,” Mr Trump said. “They ought to investigate Adam Schiff for leaking that information. He should not be leaking information out of intelligence. They ought to investigate Adam Schiff.”

Mr Schiff said Mr Trump’s accusation was false.

TRUMP EXPRESSES OPTIMISM FOR TALIBAN DEAL

Donald Trump said on Sunday he’s ready to sign a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan if a temporary truce holds in America’s longest war.

“Time to come home,” he said.

“They want to stop. You know, they’ve been fighting a long time. They’re tough people. We’re tough people,” Mr Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a trip to India. “But after 19 years, that’s a long time.”

The two sides earlier this month announced the truce, which took effect last Friday and set the stage for a broader deal aimed at ending 18 years of war in Afghanistan and bringing U.S. troops home.

Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One to depart for India. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

If the truce proves a success, it will be followed by the signing of the peace accord, wrapping up the United States’ longest-running conflict and fulfilling one of Mr Trump’s chief campaign promises.

On Sunday local time, Mr Trump expressed cautious optimism about reaching a peace deal. “You know we have a certain period of nonviolence. It’s been holding up, it’s a day and a half so we’ll see what happens. But people want to make a deal, and I think the Taliban wants to make a deal too, they’re tired of fighting.”

There are more than 12,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.