'Reverse psychology': Internet skeptical as Putin says he prefers Biden over Trump in 2024 election

MOSCOW, RUSSIA: Russia President Vladimir Putin has voiced his favor for President Joe Biden to win a second term over Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, reported Associated Press.

Speaking to a Russian state television correspondent on Wednesday, February 14, Putin stated the sitting US president was more experienced than the former president.

When asked who would be a better choice from a Russian point of view, he replied, "Biden, he's more experienced, more predictable, he's a politician of the old formation," Putin said. "But we will work with any US leader whom the American people trust."

Putin's latest comments came almost a week after his interview with conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson aired. His latest interview with the state TV also looked into the debate regarding Biden's age and Trump's shocking threat to abandon NATO allies in the event of a Russian attack.

Putin on Biden's health concerns

The Russian president did not dig deep into the ongoing discussions on his 81-year-old US counterpart's health and cognitive ability. "I'm not a doctor and I don't consider it proper to comment on that," Putin responded when asked about the speculations.

Questions on Biden's cognitive fitness and memory became the debate point after a recent special counsel report on the president's mishandling of classified documents described him as an "elderly man with a poor memory" who could not remember his elder son Beau Biden's death date.

Putin noted that the concerns about the US president's health came as "the election campaign is gaining speed in the US, and it's taking an increasingly sharp course."

He then recounted similar allegations that circulated when both met in Switzerland in June 2021. "They talked about him being incapacitated, but I saw nothing of the kind. Yes, he was peeking at his papers, to be honest, I was peeking at mine, not a big deal," Putin said.

Putin on Biden's administration policy and Trump's NATO remarks

Amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine that started in February 2022, Russian ties with the West are at the lowest since the Cold War era.

Putin, who earlier claimed that the Ukraine invasion was to protect Russian speakers over there and to prevent the nation from joining NATO, claimed the Biden administration's policy was wrong.

"I believe that the position of the current administration is badly flawed and wrong, and I have told President Biden about that," he said.

Weighing on former president and current Republican frontrunner Trump's warning to encourage Russia to attack NATO allies who fail to pay their due, Putin noted that it is a continuation of his policies during the first term to force European NATO allies to increase their defense spending.

"He [Trump] has his own view on how relations with allies should develop. From his point of view, there is some logic in this, while from the point of view of the Europeans, there is no logic at all, and they would like the US to keep carrying out some functions they have fulfilled since the formation of NATO free of charge," the Russian president opined.

On the other hand, Biden was outraged with Trump's NATO remarks, calling it "appaling and dangerous." The president also warned the people that his predecessor would "abandon" America's NATO allies "if Russia attacked and allowed Russia to do whatever the hell they want with them."

Putin also characterized NATO as a "US foreign policy tool," stating that "if the US thinks that it no longer needs this tool, it's up to it to decide."

Internet reacts to Putin's comments

Social media users, skeptical of Putin's preference for Biden over Trump, claimed that the Russian president was manipulating everyone using "reverse psychology gaslighting" ahead of the crucial presidential election.

One user said, "Ahhh reverse psychology."

Another user remarked, "This is called reverse psychology gaslighting."

"That's a complete lie and a trick to get folks talking..We know better," a third user opined.

A user added, "So, the opposite is what we should believe. The end…."

"This is what you call the art of manipulation which he is a master of…." read one response.

A sixth user stated, "And since he is always so honest I guess we just take that at face value."

"Wow - that is a very interesting turn of events. Strategy maybe?" wrote another user.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.