Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE is defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich PutinNavalny released from hospital after suspected poisoning Ex-Trump national security adviser says US leaders 'making it easy for Putin' to meddle The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting MORE against allegations that he gave orders to kill journalists in his country.

“As far as the reporters are concerned, obviously I don’t want that to happen, I think it’s horrible,” Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “But, in all fairness to Putin, you’re saying he killed people, I haven’t seen that. I don’t know that he has. Have you been able to prove that?

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Trump, who has complimented Putin as “highly respectable,” said there is no evidence that the Russian strongman killed reporters for political gain.

“Now, I think it would be despicable if that took place, but I haven’t seen any evidence that he’s killed anybody in terms of reporters,” he said.

Trump acknowledged that there are allegations of nefarious activity by the Russian president but said Putin has “always denied it.”

“He’s always denied it. He’s never — it’s never been proven that he’s killed anybody. So, you know, you’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, at least in our country. It has not been proven that he’s killed reporters,” he said.

Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the billionaire businessman for his congenial rhetoric about Putin.