It’s a posture he projected as a presidential candidate in 2016 and an image that has gained increased support within the GOP, especially amongst those Trump loyalists who have vowed to end US support for Ukraine.
Yes, Trump’s acolytes have already labelled him the peace president reminding us that he’s the first leader in two generations not to start a war. (One can argue what is meant by “start” in this context.)
Trump refused to back his claim with details, but he cited his mutual admiration relationship with Putin as a major factor in ending the conflict. Trump’s affinity for Russia itself can be traced back to the mid-80’s, when it was alleged that the Trump Organization was willing to gift Putin a $50 million penthouse if a deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow was approved.
Trump’s praise for Putin during his White House years was even more revealing. In his 2018 trip to Helsinki, Trump called the Western press the “true enemy of the people” – common buzzwords in Russian propaganda. This was followed by a joint press conference with Putin in which he rejected the credibility of his own intelligence agencies and fawningly accepted Putin at his word.
