Trump chuckles as he admits Putin is helping Iran target US troops

President Donald Trump admitted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been helping Iran in its war against the U.S. and Israel — but he offered an excuse for the assistance.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff had said on Tuesday that Putin, in a phone call to Trump, denied reports that Russia was sharing intelligence with Iran about American forces in the Middle East, but the U.S. president told Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on Friday that might be happening.

“You think Putin is helping them?” Kilmeade asked.

“I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah," Trump replied. “I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?”

"And you are, right?" Kilmeade interjected.

“Yeah, we’re helping them also,” Trump agreed, chuckling, "and he says that, and China would say the same thing, you know. It’s like, ‘Hey, they do it, and we do it, in all fairness.' They do it, and we do it.”

Russia has reportedly been assisting Iran with advanced drone tactics developed during its war in Ukraine to strike U.S. and Gulf nation targets in the Middle East, according to a Western intelligence official who spoke to CNN.

“What was more general support is now getting more concerning, including UAS (drone) targeting strategies that Russia employed in Ukraine," that official said.

Russia has shared imagery from its satellite network with Iran, as well, but it's not clear what it's getting in return for the assistance.