Putin’s Wishlist

There’s no firm evidence that Trump is an actual Manchurian Candidate, but Putin surely must be pleased. Here’s an incomplete list of actions and statements by Donald Trump that could be perceived as favorable to Vladimir Putin’s interests:

  • Threats to Allies:
    • Trump’s comments about, and actions toward, our Western Allies and their leaders are sowing mistrust of the United States among our traditional friends.
  • He may have initiated a global trade war:
    • The recent unilateral and extreme (not to mention illogical) tariffs have the potential of fracturing the Western world and has raised the question of why countries would continue to want the world “reserve currency” to be the US dollar.
  • Statements questioning NATO’s value:
    • Trump’s repeated criticisms of NATO, and suggestions that the U.S. might not defend certain NATO allies, can be seen as weakening the alliance, which is a key strategic goal for Russia.
  • Statements about Ukraine:
    • Trump’s past comments and actions regarding Ukraine, including questions about U.S. support, can be perceived as undermining Ukrainian sovereignty and benefiting Russian interests in the region. He has gone so far as to repeat the Russian line that Ukraine started the war, when it clearly began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, following years of prior Russian aggression.
  • Diminishing U.S. Soft Power:
    • The dismantling of American soft power assets like USAID and Voice of America – a move that benefits Putin’s agenda to reduce U.S. global reach – contradicts the widely accepted principle that soft power is a more economical and effective long-term approach.
  • Statements that question US intelligence agencies:
    • In 2016, on an international stage in Helsinki, President Trump stood before the entire world beside Russia’s President Putin. Trump was asked if he believed his own intelligence agencies or the Russian President when it came to Russia’s meddling in the U.S. 2016 elections. To which Trump replied, “President Putin says it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.”
  • Statements that have been seen as complimentary to Putin:
    • There have been multiple personal comments that compliment Vladimir Putin.
  • Statements about troop withdrawals:
    • Statements about withdrawing US troops from areas of US influence, have been seen as pleasing to Putin.