Trump: Clinton being too hard on Putin

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) - Donald Trump on Thursday criticized rival Hillary Clinton for being too tough on Vladimir Putin, once again raising eyebrows about the Republican candidate's relationship with the Russian president.
Speaking at a rally in Springfield, Ohio, as he kicked off a daylong swing through the battleground state, Trump took issue with Clinton's criticism of the Russian leader, who has been denounced in the West for his military assertiveness and anti-democratic tendencies.
"She speaks very badly of Putin, and I don't think that's smart," Trump told a crowd of thousands, noting Russia has nuclear weapons.
"How do you speak so badly of someone?" he asked.
Trump has been criticized throughout his campaign for failing to denounce Putin and repeatedly denying connections U.S. intelligence officials said they've found between Russia and recent hacking efforts that appear aimed at influencing the outcome of November's election.
Trump has long argued the U.S. would be better off if it had a more productive working relationship with Russia and has called for the two countries to work together to take on Islamic State militants, despite their differences over Syrian President Bashar Assad's government.
Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, has taken a harder line on Putin, describing him during the vice presidential debate as a "small and bullying leader."
Trump has said Putin is a stronger leader than President Barack Obama and praised him for exerting "strong control over his country."
The U.S. has accused Russia of coordinating hacks on Clinton's campaign emails. But Putin on Thursday dismissed those claims, saying the allegations were designed to distract the public from real issues.