A wave of Donald Trump's surrogates has been dispatched to South Carolina before the state's Republican primary, focusing on promoting his policies and criticizing rival Nikki Haley. Despite Western leaders blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin for the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny and President Joe Biden pledging to impose "major sanctions" against Russia, none of Trump's supporters in South Carolina are directly addressing the issue.

President Biden has directly accused Putin of being responsible for Navalny's death and even met with Navalny's wife and daughter. In contrast, Trump has likened Navalny's death to his own legal issues, facing a recent ruling ordering him and his associates to pay more than $350 million in damages and barred from New York businesses for three years.

Trump supporters campaigning in South Carolina have diverted conversations about Navalny's death to focus on Trump's perception of being unfairly prosecuted. The former president himself took to social media to draw parallels between Navalny's death and his legal battles, claiming that America is on a path to destruction due to 'Crooked, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges'.

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley stands apart from Trump, blaming Putin for Navalny's death and critiquing Trump for not condemning the Russian president and for comparing America to Russia. Navalny, known for his anti-corruption efforts in Putin's government, faced poisoning attempts and was sentenced to 19 years in prison after returning to Russia from Germany.

As the South Carolina primary approaches, Trump surrogates continue to advocate for his policies while sidestepping discussions about Navalny's death and focusing on Trump's legal battles instead.