Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said that if the Russian government thinks he's going to apologize for calling its leader a killer it might be waiting a long time.
"The Putin administration in Moscow demanding at that I, your humble correspondent, apologize for saying Ol' Vlad is a killer," O'Reilly said at the opening of "The O'Reilly Factor" on Monday. "I am working on that apology, but it may take a little time. Might want to check in with me around 2023."
O'Reilly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer" during his interview with President Donald Trump broadcast during the pre-game show ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl.
In the interview, O'Reilly asked Trump whether he respects Putin.
"I do respect him," Trump said. "I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna get along with them. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS — which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, major fight — that's a good thing. Will I get along with him? I have no idea."
"He's a killer, though," O'Reilly shot back. "Putin's a killer."
"There are a lot of killers," Trump responded. "We've got a lot of killers. What? Do you think our country's so innocent?"
While Trump's critics pounced on him for saying America is not so innocent, it was O'Reilly's charge that Putin is a "killer" that angered the Kremlin, drawing a sharp response from spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
"We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company,” Peskov told reporters.
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