US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on his ex-national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, on Sunday (March 2), after the retired general claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was benefiting from Trump’s actions.

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Speaking over the weekend, McMaster suggested that Putin was “cheering” after Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, confronted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a recent Oval Office meeting.

Also read: France, UK propose partial one-month Ukraine truce: What’s covered, what’s not?

'Putin couldn’t be happier'

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“Vladimir Putin couldn’t be happier. Because what he sees is all of the pressure on Zelensky, all of the pressure on Ukraine, and no pressure on him,” McMaster said.

McMaster, who was removed from his role by Trump in 2018, claimed that Putin had successfully manipulated numerous world leaders, including Trump himself.

“He appeals to President Trump’s sense of aggrievement, right? That, you know, ‘Donald, you know, like me, you know, you’ve been treated so unfairly,’” McMaster said.

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Also read: Kremlin accuses Zelensky of not wanting peace, blames him for clash with Trump

“And he’s been very successful at it because he’s a master manipulator and one of the best liars in the world,” he added.

McMaster suggested that Trump was being deceived.

“And he’s being played like other presidents have been played, like other leaders have been played, through that same playbook of Putin’s,” he added.

Trump appeared angered by the comments and responded aggressively on social media.

Also read: ‘If he were a Democrat’: Marco Rubio says Trump would have won ‘Nobel Prize’ for Ukraine peace efforts

“H.R. MCMASTER IS A WEAK AND TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE LOSER!” Trump wrote in an all-caps message on Truth Social.

'Spend less time worrying about Putin'

In another post, he dismissed concerns over Putin, urging Americans to focus on domestic issues instead.

“We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country—So that we don’t end up like Europe!” he wrote.

Also read: WATCH | Zelensky says ready to resign in exchange of NATO membership for Ukraine

Trump’s comments came after he met with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, during which he appeared to align himself with Putin in one respect. He complained that both he and the Russian leader had faced false accusations for years, particularly claims that Moscow interfered in his election campaigns, an allegation Trump has long attributed to his Democratic opponents.

“Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia, Russia,” Trump said.

(With inputs from agencies)