Donald Trump has compared himself to deceased Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
In a social media post that cast no blame for the death but alluded to his own legal woes, the former President said he was made "more aware" following the death.
Trump has claimed that the death of Navalny has highlighted to him "radical Left politicians destroying America."
Navalny, 47, fought for years against what he called vast corruption in Putin's Russia, ruled by "crooks and thieves".
Trump has seemingly compared himself to Navalny
Getty/Reuters
The frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination wrote on his Truth Social platform: "The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country.
"It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are DESTROYING AMERICA. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE, A FAILING NATION! MAGA2024"
It comes after Trump has railed against a judge's order on Friday that he pay $355 million in penalties for overstating his net worth to dupe lenders. The former President has derided the decision, calling it politically motivated.
Trump also is preparing for four upcoming criminal trials as he looks set to seal the Republican nomination for the Presidential election later this year.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
President Joe Biden returned to the White House after a weekend in Delaware
Reuters
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Friday directly blamed Putin for Navalny's death in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle. Trump's main Republican rival, Nikki Haley also blamed the Russian President for his death.
Haley, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, told Fox News before Trump's social media post: "It is amazing to me how weak in the knees [Trump] is when it comes to Putin. He is yet to say anything about Navalny’s death, which – Putin murdered him."
She later wrote on social media: "Donald Trump could have condemned Vladimir Putin for being a murderous thug. Trump could have praised Navalny’s courage."
The Kremlin has denied involvement in his death and said that Western claims that Putin was responsible were unacceptable.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia in 2015
Reuters
Nalvalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said she would continue the fight and directly accused Putin of killing her husband.
In a video posted on social media, she said: "I want to live in a free Russia, I want to build a free Russia.
"I urge you to stand next to me. I ask you to share the rage with me. Rage, anger, hatred towards those who dared to kill our future.
"Vladimir Putin killed my husband...By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me - half of my heart and half of my soul. But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up. I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny, continue to fight for our country."