US president Joe Biden on Tuesday thrashed Republican rival Donald Trump’s response to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, asking: “Why does Trump always blame America?”

After Mr Navalny’s death was reported on Friday, Mr Biden directly blamed Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as did Mr Trump’s main rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley.

Mr Trump did not mention Mr Navalny until a Monday post on his Truth Social platform that did not cast blame or express remorse, but alluded to his own legal problems as persecution and called the United States a nation in decline.

“The former president, Trump, and other Republicans, refuse to hold Putin accountable for his death,” Mr Biden said. “Instead, Trump said Navalny’s death made him realize how bad America was.

“He said and I quote, ‘We are a nation in decline, a failing nation.’ Why does Trump always blame America? Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. Why can’t Trump just say that?”

Mr Trump, the Republican frontrunner, is likely to face Democrat Biden in a rematch in November’s presidential election.

During his 2017-2021 tenure in the White House, Mr Trump drew criticism for his praise of Putin. Last week, he suggested the United States might not protect Nato allies who do not spend enough on defence from a potential Russian invasion.

Mr Biden on Tuesday called the Nato comments dangerous. “It does nothing but encourage bad behaviour,” Mr Biden said.

Mr Biden folded the criticism into a video posted in Twitter in which he urged Republicans who control the US House of Representatives to pass emergency security assistance for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

“We have to stand up to Putin,” Mr Biden said.