U.S. President Donald Trump's friendliness toward Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a major source of frustration for Never Trump conservatives, from MSNBC's Joe Scarborough to The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson to The Bulwark's Bill Kristol. But Never Trumper George Will, in his August 6 column for the Washington Post, argues that Putin's "blunders" are so egregious that even Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with him.
"Putin's response to Trump’s 50-day ultimatum — to agree to 'a deal' by September 3 or face severe economic consequences — was intensified attacks on Ukraine population centers," the veteran conservative columnist explains. "Trump's subsequent 10-day ultimatum, expiring Friday, seems to have been equally unavailing. Putin aims to get not to negotiations but to Kyiv, because only extinguishing Ukraine's nationhood can redeem his epochal blunder."
Will adds, "Although Putin has been certified a 'genius' (by Trump; Putin has not reciprocated), not since Adolf Hitler invaded the Soviet Union 84 summers ago has a military undertaking been as comprehensively counterproductive for its initiator as Putin's invasion of Ukraine."
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Will, now 84, notes that during the Ukraine-Russia War, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) — "the bane of Putin’s existence" — has "been enlarged" thanks to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance.
Trump's recent criticism of Putin is quite mild compared to the scathing criticism he typically gets from Will, Scarborough, Kristol, Charlie Sykes and other anti-Trump conservatives. But it's still a departure from the fondness Trump often expressed for him during his first presidency.
"Putin's culminating blunder — he has disappointed the president — might drive Trump to Ukraine’s side," Will argues. "This will unleash fury in MAGAdom's MAGABMIMLH faction: Make America Great Again By Making It More Like Hungary. But to govern is to choose, which always makes some factions unhappy."
Will adds, "In this instance, it might be good that Trump takes everything personally. This is the importance of his being disappointed."
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George Will's full Washington Post column is available at this link (subscription required).