Trump dismisses Carter attacks as Democrat talking point

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump on Saturday dismissed Jimmy Carter's swipe at the legitimacy of his election and said the charge was nothing more than a "Democrat talking point," while offering his own digs at the 94-year-old former commander in chief.

Trump said he was surprised by Carter's comments alleging that Russian interference in the 2016 election was responsible for putting Trump in the White House. The Republican punched back, though with a somewhat muted response, at least for him.

"Look, he was a nice man. He was a terrible president. He's a Democrat. And it's a typical talking point. He's loyal to the Democrats. And I guess you should be," Trump told reporters at a news conference in Japan, adding that, "as everybody now understands, I won not because of Russia, not because of anybody but myself."

Carter made his comments during a discussion on human rights at a resort in Leesburg, Virginia on Friday. Carter had said there was "no doubt that the Russians did interfere" in 2016.

The 39th president alleged that that interference, "though not yet quantified, if fully investigated would show that Trump didn't actually win the election in 2016. He lost the election and he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf."