Putin’s Wishlist

There’s no 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 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 may have initiated a global trade war:
    • The recent illogical tariffs have the potential of fracturing the Western world.  Why would countries continue to want the “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.
  • Emphasis on bilateral relations:
    • Trump’s preference for direct, bilateral relations with Russia, rather than multilateral alliances, can be seen as advantageous to Putin, who seeks to diminish the influence of international organizations.
  • Statements that question US intelligence agencies:
    • Trump has on multiple occasions questioned the findings of US intelligence agencies, regarding Russian interference in US elections. This has been seen as beneficial to Russian interests.
  • Statements that have been seen as complimentary to Putin:
    • There have been multiple personal comments that have been interpreted as complimentary to Vladimir Putin.
  • Statements about troop withdrawals:
    • Statements about withdrawing US troops from areas of US influence, have been seen as pleasing to Putin.