Claims the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was justified

During a televised Cabinet meeting, Trump stated that 'the reason Russia was in Afghanistan was because terrorists were going into Russia' and that the Soviets were 'right to be there,' also claiming the occupation bankrupted the U.S.S.R. Historians disputed this account, noting that the Soviet Union invaded to support a communist government, not to combat terrorism. The remarks coincided with Trump's push to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and drew concern from Afghan officials.

"The reason Russia was in Afghanistan was because terrorists were going into Russia. They were right to be there." — Cabinet meeting, January 2, 2019