Trump says CIA director's Moscow trip was "semi-routine" amid speculation
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President Donald Trump dismissed theories that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's unannounced visit to Moscow was linked to Iran sanctions or NATO concerns, calling it a routine mission.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on a government aircraft on Tuesday, marking the first visit by a U.S. intelligence chief since 2021. The trip was confirmed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who said Ratcliffe did not meet President Vladimir Putin.
When asked by radio host Glenn Beck whether the visit was intended to counter perceived Russian moves against NATO or to secure Moscow's cooperation on new sanctions against Iran, President Trump responded, "None of the above. He’s there, you know, very sort of semi-routine. I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war with Ukraine end."
Trump added that Ratcliffe is "a fantastic guy" and that the mission was not related to the speculation, while noting that both the United States and Russia now want an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
The White House, CIA, Pentagon and U.S. Air Force declined to comment on the purpose of the visit. Peskov described any forecast that the trip would improve bilateral relations as "premature," emphasizing that intelligence contacts can be positive even during strained diplomatic periods.
The visit comes as the United States has recently announced a new sanctions program targeting countries that trade with Iran, a measure that would require cooperation from Russia and China to be effective. Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian energy and retail infrastructure, and Russia has increased drone and missile attacks on Kyiv.