Timeline: Trump’s Support for Putin and Its Impact

This timeline highlights a consistent pattern of rhetoric and actions by Donald Trump that either supported Russia’s geopolitical ambitions, weakened U.S. alliances, or reduced the effectiveness of American foreign policy in opposing Russian actions. Trump’s frequent praise for Vladimir Putin, combined with his reluctance to fully confront Russia, created openings for Russian influence to expand. These actions and statements made it more difficult for the U.S. and its allies to maintain a cohesive front against Russian aggression and interference, leaving many to question where Trump’s loyalties truly lay. While not exhaustive, this timeline includes the most prevalent statements and actions that reflect this pattern.

February 2025: Trump calls Zelensky a dictator and falsely claims Ukraine started the war: Trump referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a dictator and reiterated the baseless claim that Ukraine had provoked Russia into starting the war. These false statements further undermined Ukraine’s legitimacy and could embolden Russia’s narrative, weakening Western support for Ukraine.
February 2025: Trump continues to downplay the significance of Russia’s role in the Ukraine invasion: In public statements, Trump has suggested that he would seek to negotiate peace with Putin and prioritize America’s interests, even if it means compromising with Russia. This rhetoric could weaken U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine, potentially emboldening Russia and undermining Western unity in opposing Russian aggression.
August 2024: Trump calls for reduced U.S. support for Ukraine: While campaigning for the 2024 election, Trump reiterated his position that the U.S. should stop sending aid to Ukraine, aligning with his previous stance of minimizing U.S. involvement in international conflicts, especially with Russia. This stance potentially weakened Ukraine’s defense capabilities and reduced pressure on Russia, giving Putin an advantage in his war against Ukraine.
July 2024: Trump criticizes the Biden administration’s handling of Ukraine: Trump expressed frustration with President Biden’s approach to Ukraine and Russia, claiming the administration’s policies were “too aggressive” and suggesting that he could have avoided the war altogether, which is unlikely. This undercut the unity of NATO allies and the broader international community, potentially weakening the global response to Russia’s aggression.
October 2023: Trump continues to praise Putin: In interviews and speeches, Trump praised Putin as a “strategic genius” for his ability to “manipulate the West,” even as the war in Ukraine continued. This sentiment could undermine Western support for Ukraine, embolden Putin’s influence on the global stage, and signal a potential alignment with Russian interests over U.S. allies.
March 2023: Trump downplays the Russian invasion of Ukraine: Trump said in a rally that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was “justifiable” from the Russian perspective and suggested that U.S. intervention had made things worse. This view delegitimized Ukraine’s sovereignty and diminished U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine, benefiting Russian efforts to destabilize the region.
February 2022: Trump praises Putin before the Ukraine invasion: Days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Trump called Putin “smart” and a “genius” for recognizing the political leverage Russia had over Ukraine. He also suggested that Putin had “peacefully” taken control of regions in Ukraine, dismissing the idea that it was an aggressive act. These comments played into Putin’s narrative of justification, potentially encouraging his actions by suggesting that the West would be divided or passive in response.
February 2022: Trump asserts U.S. should focus on its own problems: As Putin moved forward with his invasion, Trump implied that the U.S. should not be involved in Ukraine’s defense, stating that Europe needed to take care of its own conflicts and accusing the U.S. of “wasting resources.” This rhetoric diminished U.S. leadership and NATO’s collective resolve, making it easier for Russia to advance its strategic goals in Ukraine.
November 2021: Trump downplays Russian aggression in Ukraine: Trump was still voicing concerns that U.S. actions towards Russia were escalating tensions. He warned against confronting Russia too aggressively, stressing that the U.S. should focus on its own domestic issues rather than international military conflicts. This approach aligned more closely with Russia’s interest in reducing U.S. and NATO opposition to its ambitions in Eastern Europe.
March 2021: Trump criticizes Biden’s stance on Russia: Trump called out President Biden for being too harsh on Putin and suggested that his administration’s policies would escalate conflicts with Russia. This helped Russia by creating confusion within the U.S. political landscape, weakening a unified approach to holding Russia accountable for its actions.
December 2020: Trump’s reluctance to blame Russia for the SolarWinds cyberattack: Trump continued to downplay Russia’s involvement in the massive cyber breach, which was later attributed to Russian-backed hackers. Trump suggested that China might be responsible instead, which diverted blame away from Russia, hindering any substantial response or accountability.
July 2020: Trump praises Putin’s “strong control” over Russia: Trump reiterated his admiration for Putin’s leadership, calling him a “strong leader” who has control over his country, while also criticizing U.S. politicians for not being as effective. This kind of praise indirectly legitimized Putin’s authoritarian regime and undermined the principles of democracy and human rights, both within Russia and globally.
July 2019: Trump suggests readmitting Russia to the G7: At the G7 summit, Trump suggested that Russia should be allowed back into the group of leading industrialized nations, despite its 2014 suspension due to its annexation of Crimea. This would have rewarded Russia’s illegal actions in Ukraine and weakened the collective stance of G7 nations against Russian aggression.
May 2019: Trump defends Putin’s interference in U.S. elections: Trump continued to cast doubt on the findings of U.S. intelligence agencies regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, reiterating that he didn’t believe Putin had any personal involvement in the hacking activities. This weakened the credibility of U.S. intelligence agencies, undermined trust in American elections, and emboldened Russian efforts to meddle in future elections.
July 2018: Helsinki Summit: Trump publicly sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies regarding Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, calling it a “witch hunt.” He refused to acknowledge Russian involvement in the election and downplayed the severity of Putin’s actions. By undermining U.S. intelligence and supporting Putin’s denials, Trump significantly weakened the U.S.’s stance on Russian interference and undermined efforts to hold Russia accountable.
July 2018: Trump questioned the U.S. stance on Crimea: Trump remarked that he believed Crimea “was Russian” and suggested that the U.S. should “get over” Russia’s annexation of the region. This rhetoric was seen as legitimizing Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory and signaled to Putin that the U.S. may not fully oppose his expansionist ambitions.
July 2017: Trump reluctantly signed Russia sanctions bill: Despite his initial objections, Trump signed a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia for its actions in Ukraine and interference in the 2016 election, but he indicated that he believed the bill was “flawed.” While the sanctions went into effect, Trump’s reluctance to fully support them undermined the U.S.’s stance and allowed Russia to view them as less of a priority for the administration.
May 2017: Trump fired FBI Director James Comey: Following Comey’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Trump fired Comey, a move that many saw as an attempt to block the investigation. This action sparked concern that Trump was trying to obstruct an investigation that could have revealed more damaging information about his ties to Russia and further weakened efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions.
July 2016: Trump publicly invites Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails: During a rally, Trump said, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.” This invitation encouraged further Russian hacking and interference in the election process, undermining U.S. democratic institutions and potentially aiding Russia’s efforts to sow division within the U.S. electorate.
July 2016: Trump praises Putin’s leadership: He referred to Vladimir Putin as a “strong leader” and stated that the U.S. could learn from his governance. By praising Putin, Trump legitimized an authoritarian leader who had cracked down on dissent, undermined democracy in Russia, and violated international norms, which ran counter to U.S. values and the promotion of democracy abroad.