Op-Ed: Donald Trump’s Relationship With Putin is a Threat to American Democracy
President Trump meets with President Zelensky in the Oval Office for a press conference on February 20, 2025 (Photo: AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)
Since the start of his second presidency, Donald Trump has been spreading Russian propaganda against Ukraine, on the behalf of Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In February, Trump made headlines alleging that Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine, is responsible for the country’s three-year long war against Russia. However, after years of Russian aggression—including the annexation of Crimea in 2014—it was in fact Russia, under the direction of Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine, beginning this war. This aggressive language is a direct reversal of his narrative on the campaign trail, where he promised to negotiate a ceasefire in this conflict.
More importantly though, Trump’s rekindled friendship with the leader of Russia has adverse effects within the United States. While support for Ukraine has generally been a bipartisan issue, some Republican lawmakers seem to be taking the backseat as the president’s rhetoric intensifies. Although Senator Lindsey Graham pushed back against the president, tweeting that Putin and Russia are indeed at fault for this war, he referred to the president as “Ukraine’s best hope to end this war honorably and justly.” This inability of our elected officials to hold the president accountable for spreading misinformation and propaganda is extremely problematic and consequential.
Furthermore, this issue reveals a weakness within the legislative branch of the current U.S. government; elected officials, Republicans and Democrats alike, are unable to hold this president accountable as he continues to bolster Putin’s propaganda.
At a recent press conference in the oval office, Vice President J.D. Vance and President Trump can be seen berating the Ukrainian president for his lack of gratitude toward the United States. This encounter is nothing short of absurd, given that the current administration has actively threatened to withhold aid since its first day in power; President Zelensky has no reason to show gratitude to an administration that has little interest in seeing his country remain on a map. It is evident, then, that Trump and Vance’s real issue with Zelensky is his strong and successful working relationship with the Biden Harris administration. As Vice President Vance alleged in the press conference, they believe that Zelensky went to Pennsylvania and “campaigned for the opposition in October.” The Trump administration has made it very clear that it only serves those who bow down to their agenda, and that agenda now includes Russian propaganda.
Trump has consistently referred to Zelensky as a “dictator” for cancelling elections in wartime, yet his criticism of Putin is rare—a true dictator, who idolizes other dictators like Joseph Stalin, and has been in power since the beginning of the century. Unlike Zelensky, Putin holds on to his power through intimidation, fear mongering, and rigged elections. Yes Putin wins elections, but they are not free and fair, as is characteristic of a democracy; it is a mirage to make the rest of the world believe he is popular, when in fact, he is feared. Olena Tokovenko, a Ukrainian lawyer, said, “Maybe Trump can just tell us who to elect and maybe even offer his own candidate?” She then went on to say, “Maybe, though, we should not ask Trump, but Putin, what to do. This would cut out the middleman. Because this is Russia's policy coming through Trump.”
If it is evident to the rest of the world that Trump is doing Putin’s bidding in the so-called peace talks to end the war, why are American voters and elected officials unable to break through the facade?
Protesters gather in Times Square to show support for Ukraine on March 1, 2025 (Photo: AP Photo/Adam Gray)
While Trump promised an end to the conflict, his language indicates a possible trade off between ending the war and Ukrainian sovereignty. Republican voters and legislators alike don’t consider an outcome that involves the loss of Ukrainian sovereignty as feasible, which has been creating rifts throughout the party.
This alignment with a country like Russia is consequential for several reasons. While Vice President Vance blamed limitations of freedom of speech—most of which are limitations on hate speech—for problems within European nations, this administration is outright limiting free speech within its own borders, allowing the banning of books, certain words in research, and threatening students who protest on college campuses.
Instead of doing their jobs and legally protecting American citizens from such violations of their basic rights, members of Congress instead chose to attend the president’s address to Congress in pink suits, holding signs and wearing pins. This is not democracy; this is submission. These issues all transcend the United States’ role in brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine; however, since he took office in January, Donald Trump’s language surrounding this conflict has been very telling of his plans for America’s future. Unless Americans and their elected officials are able to identify the dangers of a United States allied with Russia, this future will take shape.
There have, however, been some checks on the president’s power. Last Wednesday, when the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s request to freeze foreign aid approved by Congress in a 5-4 ruling. With many court battles ahead—from issues like immigration to free speech—the courts will play a crucial role in the expansion or lack thereof of Trump’s reach.
President Zelensky is positive that the United States and Ukraine can still work together to bring a rapid end to this three-year long conflict. This week, peace talks will be held in Saudi Arabia. The outcome of these discussions has the potential to define the future of American democracy; while this is not a domestic issue, it very likely will have domestic consequences.