Moscow: When an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, then-candidate for US president, took place in the United States at a campaign rally in the summer of 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin went to church to pray for him, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff revealed.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Witkoff shared the account during an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson. He recounted how President Putin had told him about visiting his local church to pray for Trump. Putin described the act as a gesture of friendship, emphasizing that his prayers were not politically motivated but rooted in their personal relationship.

Witkoff also mentioned that during a recent meeting, Putin presented him with a "beautiful portrait of President Trump" created by a renowned Russian artist. Putin requested Witkoff to deliver the portrait to Trump in the United States.

In November 2024, Putin publicly commended Trump's behavior during the assassination attempt, describing it as "courageous."