Trump, Putin, and Ukraine: Part 2

Last week we wrote up what we thought was a successful conclusion to the Trump-European-Ukraine meeting in Washington D.C. ( See: https://shulmaven.blogspot.com/2025/08/trump-putin-and-ukraine-now-comes-hard.html ) Unfortunately, little did we realize that Trump and his hapless special ambassador Steve Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were played for suckers by Putin. Put bluntly, Putin did not agree to security guarantees from the Europeans to be coordinated by the United States. Putin wants all of the Donbass and no European troops in Ukraine.  

So what is to be done now? The U.S. and Europe should step up arms shipments to Ukraine and greenlight Ukrainian attacks deep into Russia. In addition both the U.S. and Europe should sanction Russia to the max. The attacks have already begun with Russia's energy infrastructure now under long range attack. Gas lines are now forming in Russia. In addition, as we have argued in the past, Ukraine should set ablaze the Russian oilfields in Western Siberia. The path to a negotiated settlement requires Russia to feel real pain putting the ball in Trump's court. Hopefully that will happen.   

SHAME

I never felt so ashamed for my country than I did yesterday when I watched President Trump bully Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the oval office in front of a worldwide television audience. In Trump’s mind Zelensky was guilty of not kissing his ass so Trump stood foursquare for Putin’s aggression in Ukraine and in the process seemed to abandon the Western Alliance. I really should not have been surprised because his administration threw Ukraine under the bus at the Munich Security Conference two weeks ago. (See: https://shulmaven.blogspot.com/2025/02/trump-and-new-hitler-stalin-pact.html) 

As I noted then what Trump is doing is not appeasement, but rather he has made the U.S. a co-aggressor with Putin’s Russia. This will end badly with China being the only real winner. If there is a small silver lining here it will be to rouse Europe from its slumber by forcing a massive increase in its hitherto inadequate military expenditures.

In the aftermath of Trump’s bullying, I was nauseated to watch his sycophants cheer him on. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Senator Lindsay Graham all belong in the hall of shame. Trump wanted a cabinet of suck-ups; he certainly has one.

 

Donald Trump, Four Weeks in: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Donald Trump’s second inauguration certainly did not take its cues from Lincoln’s second where he said, “with malice towards none and charity for all.”  It is turning out like a vengeance tour where he is flooding the zone with a host of initiatives, some of questionable legality. However, he is keeping his campaign promises and is acting in sharp contrast to the somnolescent Biden Administration.  Below is my take on the good, bad, and ugly so far. To be sure it is arbitrary, and it is no way a full list with the bad and ugly massively outweighing the good.

The Good

• A few good cabinet appointments: Marco Rubio at State, Scott Bessent at Treasury, Doug Burgum at Interior and Elise Stefanik, at the U.N.

• Doing away with DEI in the federal government and its contractors.

• Joining social-democratic Europe with restrictions on gender reassignment care for minors.

• Banning biological males from participating in women/girls’ sports.

• Although it can turn ugly fast, passing the Laiken Riley Act and a crackdown on unlawful undocumented immigrants. Tough actions on border security are long overdue. 

• Cracking down on campus antisemitism.

• Unambiguous support for Israel.

The Bad 

• DOGE, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Although the New York City power broker Robert Moses taught us you can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs, Musk is going way too far in his noble attempt to cut government waste. He is using a butcher knife instead of a scalpel. As a result, many hard-working government employees are living under what they rightly perceive as a reign of terror. Simply put, it is very hard to improve the efficiency of government with a demoralized work force.

The Ugly  

• Pardoning the January 6th rioters.

• Decapitating the FBI, Justice Department and the CIA, leaving us vulnerable to acts of terrorism.

• Horrendous cabinet appointments featuring incompetent and vile people. Namely, Pete Hegseth at Defense, RFK, Jr. at HHS, Tulsi Gabbard at National Intelligence, and Kash Patel at the FBI. Yet again the Republicans in the Senate have proved themselves to be moral eunuchs in approving these appointments, with Patel pending. (See: https://shulmaven.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-party-of-moral-eunuchs.html) With Hegseth, Gabbard and Patel, our security is at risk.

• Starting a trade war with our allies Canada, Mexico, E.U. and Japan. This is a sure-fire way to increase inflation and to lower growth. (See: https://shulmaven.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-tariffman-strikes.html)

• Practically surrendering Ukraine on a platter to Putin at the Munich Security Conference. 

• Dropping the bribery prosecution of NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

Chris Christie's Temper Tantrum

Chris Christie proved himself to be Donald Trump's soulmate. They are both schoolyard bullies who if they can't have their own way they go off on their own. What Christie was saying with his endorsement of Trump today is that I if I couldn't take him, I am going to try my best that the rest of the Republican field can't take him down either, especially Marco Rubio. For whatever reason Christie can't stand Marco Rubio. Be that as it may, today Christie found his inner spoiled child.

Another reason is that Christie can't wait top get out of New Jersey. It is fast becoming a failed state like Illinois. He won't be Trump's VEEP, but he is certainly angling to be his attorney general. I would hope that voters see through all of this and give Trump the licking he so well deserves on Super Tuesday. I know this may be the triumph of hope over experience, but one can always hope.

Fox News and Republicans Put on a Great Debate

We learned quite a bit last night from the first Republican debate of the election season. The debate confirmed that Donald Trump is both a bully and a jerk. Aside from Trump, the Republican field is strong with exceptional performances coming from Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Ben Carson and yes, Mike Huckabee. Both Bush and Walker disappointed because we expect more from front runners. In the pre-debate Carly Fiorina shined and in what will be showed over and over on YouTube she took down MSNBC reporter Chris Matthews in her post debate interview.

Over the longer term Fox News was the real winner. The very tight questioning by Bret Baeir, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace established the network's preeminence in covering the 2016 campaign. They set a high bar and we will see if other network interviewers will be as tough on the Democrats as Fox was on the Republicans.