'Two guys in a steam bath': Trump praises himself on phone calls with Putin, according to a CNN report

Get the Full StoryAssociated Press Evan Vucci

Sources within the Trump administration said the president was "inordinately solicitous of Putin's admiration and seemingly seeking his approval," according to CNN's Carl Bernstein.

Two US officials said Trump had "naively elevated" Russia "to almost parity with the United States."

"He's playing with something he doesn't understand," one official said, "and he's giving them power that they would use aggressively ."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump seems desperate to win the approval of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, anonymous US officials told CNN, with one source describing calls between the leaders as "two guys in a steam bath."

Sources within the Trump administration said the president was "inordinately solicitous of Putin's admiration and seemingly seeking his approval," according to CNN's Carl Bernstein.See the rest of the story at Business InsiderNOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdownSee Also:Russia held a massive World War II memorial parade in Moscow despite its coronavirus outbreak. Veterans spent 14 days in quarantine to sit with Putin.Trump family petitioning court to block the publication of a tell-all book from the president's niece Mary TrumpSecret Service responds to reports that reporters were ordered to leave White House while protests took place nearby, says '4 members of the media were misdirected by the Secret Service' to leave.

Share: