PUTIN’S TRUMP CARD

Why I (Still) Don’t Believe Donald Trump Is a Russian Asset

The simplest solution is usually the right one—and doesn’t involve a pee tape.

Opinion

Since his and Vladimir Putin’s meeting in Alaska, an oldie-but-goodie conspiracy theory has re-emerged about President Donald Trump: That the Russians must have something on him. After all, he went into the summit insisting on the need for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, and promising “severe consequences” if one didn’t come to pass. He left saying that a ceasefire was no longer necessary—and backing away from that whole “consequences” thing entirely. And then there’s the decidedly pro-Russian sentiment Trump shared on his Truth Social feed on Sunday night. Still, I just don’t believe the Kremlin has some sort of deeply-compromising information on Trump. I think the explanation is far simpler. Donald Trump wants to win the Nobel Peace Prize. A peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine would, he thinks, very much help his case. I don’t think Trump is terribly worried about the specifics thereof, so he does what he has always done—he goes to the more powerful player in the negotiations and tries to placate them. That said, his desire for a deal—regardless of what it means for Ukraine—has real consequences for the safety and security of Europe going forward. Will Volodymyr Zelensky and other European Union leaders be able to make that clear?

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