Has Trump Learned That Russia Is the Problem?

If you are inclined to take Trump literally or seriously, you likely got the impression from his statements, his staffing decisions, and his general disposition toward Russia’s war in Ukraine that he would be inclined to wash his hands of America’s commitments to Kyiv’s sovereignty. It’s not as though he did much over the course of the 2024 campaign to disabuse observers of that suspicion.

“Every time [Ukrainian president Volodymyr] Zelensky comes to the United States, he walks away with $100 billion. I think he’s the greatest salesman on Earth,” Trump scoffed at one of his rallies amid raucous heckles and catcalls from his supporters. “But we’re stuck in that war unless I’m president,” Trump continued before speculating about Russia’s record of success on history’s battlefields. “That’s what they do,” he said of the Russians. “They fight.” If there was any question about his policy preferences, Trump made them plain: “We gotta get out.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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If you are inclined to take Trump literally or seriously, you likely got the impression from his statements, his staffing decisions, and his general disposition toward Russia’s war in Ukraine that he would be inclined to wash his hands of America’s commitments to Kyiv’s sovereignty. It’s not as though he did much over the course of the 2024 campaign to disabuse observers of that suspicion.

“Every time [Ukrainian president Volodymyr] Zelensky comes to the United States, he walks away with $100 billion. I think he’s the greatest salesman on Earth,” Trump scoffed at one of his rallies amid raucous heckles and catcalls from his supporters. “But we’re stuck in that war unless I’m president,” Trump continued before speculating about Russia’s record of success on history’s battlefields. “That’s what they do,” he said of the Russians. “They fight.” If there was any question about his policy preferences, Trump made them plain: “We gotta get out.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.