Trump is taking a leaf out of Putin's book with this worrying phrase downplaying Iran war

US president Donal Trump has taken a leaf out of Vladimir Putin’s playbook after using a particular phrase to refer to the Iran war.

More than four years ago, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which its leader, Putin, refused to describe as a war, instead labelling it a “special military operation”. The war remains ongoing today.

Now, weeks after Trump initiated a war with Iran in collaboration with Israel, it seems the US president is taking notes after declining, in a speech, to use the word “war”, referring to the US’s action in the Middle East as a “military operation”.

While speaking at a Republican fundraising event, Trump said: “I won't use the word war because they say if you use the word war, that's maybe not a good thing to do. They don't like the word war because you are supposed to get approval. So I will use the word military operation.”

In addition to admitting he failed to get permission from Congress to go ahead with strikes on Iran, many pointed out the frightening similarities in Trump and Putin’s phrasing.

“Consciously or otherwise, precisely echoing Putin,” someone pointed out.

Another argued: “Same reason Putin does it!”

Someone else said: “They love Putin so much, don't they.”

“A Special Military Operation? He’s heard that term on the news,” another speculated.

One person wrote: “He’s saying it out loud at this point and still no one cares.”

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