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President Trump called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi today to congratulate  him for winning an election last week in which potential challengers were pushed aside, allowing the former general to run essentially unopposed.

Flashback: Trump congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin last month for winning a sham election of his own. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders defended the call by saying it was not up to the United States to  "dictate how other countries operate."

Trump congratulates Egypt's al-Sisi for victory in sham election

It's déjà vu after his similar call to Putin last month.

Trump and Sisi at the U.N. Photo: Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images

Egypt

Politics

President Trump called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi today to congratulate him for winning <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="an election last week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/what-to-watch-for-in-egypts-sham-election-6513386e-0a68-461c-afde-53e6c30649f4.html" data-vars-content-id="52d504ec-01c0-4390-9c17-427ff17d616a" data-vars-headline="Trump congratulates Egypt&#x27;s al-Sisi for victory in sham election" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/what-to-watch-for-in-egypts-sham-election-6513386e-0a68-461c-afde-53e6c30649f4.html" target="_self">an election last week</a> in which potential challengers were pushed aside, allowing the former general to run essentially unopposed.Flashback: Trump <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/trump-invited-putin-to-the-white-house-ce607fe6-a478-4728-8b57-b9aea8dad24a.html" data-vars-content-id="52d504ec-01c0-4390-9c17-427ff17d616a" data-vars-headline="Trump congratulates Egypt&#x27;s al-Sisi for victory in sham election" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/trump-invited-putin-to-the-white-house-ce607fe6-a478-4728-8b57-b9aea8dad24a.html" target="_self">congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin</a> last month for winning a sham election of his own. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="defended the call" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/sanders-dictating-russia-elections-17bb285a-50c3-4049-b8bd-c7fadf0fe7f3.html" data-vars-content-id="52d504ec-01c0-4390-9c17-427ff17d616a" data-vars-headline="Trump congratulates Egypt&#x27;s al-Sisi for victory in sham election" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/sanders-dictating-russia-elections-17bb285a-50c3-4049-b8bd-c7fadf0fe7f3.html" target="_self">defended the call</a> by saying it was not up to the United States to &quot;dictate how other countries operate.&quot;

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Trump congratulates Egypt's al-Sisi for victory in sham election

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