Donald Trump’s Lack of Critical Thinking Skills with Respect to Russia and Ukraine

Donald Trump grabbed headlines on Monday with his Sunday outburst directed primarily at Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Here’s his rant:

I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia! Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not “Trump’s.” I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.

Gee, why would Putin order massive strikes on Ukraine on May 24 and 25? “No reason whatsoever?” It appears that no one briefed Trump on what Ukraine did, starting May 19. Between May 19 and May 25, 2025, Ukraine conducted a significant escalation in its drone campaign against Russia, launching over 700 drones across various regions.

May 19–22: Russia reported intercepting at least 485 Ukrainian drones across 13 oblasts, including 63 targeting the Moscow region. (Business Insider)

May 23–25: Over a three-day period, Ukraine launched extensive drone attacks deep into Russian territory, disrupting civilian life and straining Russia’s air defense systems. Russian authorities reported intercepting over 700 drones, including nearly 100 near Moscow, leading to closures of major airports and jamming of mobile internet across several regions. (The Washington Post)

Just imagine how Donald Trump would react if Mexican drug cartels launched 700 attack drones into the United States. We all know the answer… the US would be bombing Mexico as we speak. Trump’s failure to acknowledge the precipitating actions of Ukraine is a reminder that this man is driven by emotion, not thought or reason. Trump’s outburst, in my opinion, is a disgrace.

Russia’s reaction to Trump’s statement highlights the difference in the quality of leadership in Russia with the juvenile clown show in Washington, DC. Rather than attack Trump, the Russians played it cool. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, made the following diplomatic comment:

Of course, the beginning of the negotiation process, for which the American side has made great efforts, is a very important achievement. We are truly grateful to the Americans and personally to President Trump for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process.

Of course, this is a very important moment, which is connected with the emotional overload of absolutely everyone. At the same time, Putin makes those decisions that are necessary to ensure the security of our country.

I don’t know if Putin and Trump will have another conversation in the near future, but if it does happen I expect that President Putin will remind Trump that he was responding to the massive Ukrainian drone attack. Unlike the Ukrainians, who targeted civilians, the Russians hit military targets. The evidence for this is clear. Although Russia launched 548 drones and 83 ballistic missiles over the weekend, only 30 civilians died. If Russia was just using reckless violence without regard for what it was hitting, then the civilian casualties should have been in the thousands.

If this conversation happens, I expect that Donald Trump will tell Putin, “Vladimir, I see your point.” Unfortunately, that will be said in private. What Donald Trump has accomplished with this juvenile outburst is to inflame US public opinion against Russia in general and Putin in particular. Painting Putin as an insane leader who uses violence for no good reason, is simply feeding the neocon narrative and is likely to generate more pressure for Trump to endorse imposing more sanctions on Russia and its trading partners.

I discussed this at length today with Nima: