President Donald Trump attends a press conference for a Navy announcement at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, December 22, 2025. REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak
President Donald Trump is leaving behind an "unforgivable legacy" with his handling of Ukraine, a former naval officer argued for The Hill, tearing him to shreds over his recent moves blaming the embattled nation for its war with Russia.
Joseph Bosco previously served in the U.S. Navy across various communications and intelligence officer positions, later serving as China director for the Secretary of Defense between 2005 and 2006 and as Asia-Pacific director of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief from 2009 to 2010. He now regularly publishes columns for The Hill, including his latest from Monday morning, in which he echoed the recent comparisons of Trump to the historic traitor Benedict Arnold.
While Arnold turned coat to the British during the Revolutionary War for the sake of "military promotions and rising career assignments," Trump appears to be stabbing Ukraine in the back for "perhaps the Nobel Peace Prize and re-election."
"Both men became increasingly embittered on major national security issues against their own country and ultimately supported some of America’s major adversaries," Bosco wrote. "Trump had been an admirer of strong, nondemocratic leaders even before suffering those perceived slights. Arnold became the new country’s first accused traitor, though he was never formally charged before he fled to England. Trump has openly blamed Ukraine for starting and continuing the war that Russia started and continues."
He added further: "Ukraine is a fellow democracy, an aspiring NATO ally already effectively defending NATO territory against further Russian aggression, and a loyal friend of the U.S. Yet Trump constantly disparages its cause, periodically cuts off vitally needed weapons and intelligence support and, with Vice President JD Vance, treats Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a boorish and bullying manner. It is a vivid contrast to Trump’s openly ingratiating treatment of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who has perpetrated extensive war crimes in Ukraine — an embarrassingly demeaning posture for a U.S. president. Given the obvious threat to NATO that a Russian victory over Ukraine would present, Trump’s increasingly open support for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — which he once called 'genius' and 'savvy' — clearly endangers U.S. national security."
To get a better sense of Trump's real priorities, Bosco explained, it is best to examine "what he has done since returning to office and possessing America’s supreme military, economic and political powers to influence world events." Rather than pushing hard to get Russia to pull back in Ukraine, he has instead only "mildly" suggested that Russia stop its advances and agree to a ceasefire.
"With Republicans poised to lose control of Congress, Trump could fear a revived impeachment effort, this time on the devastating grounds of aiding an enemy of an ally. The formal accusation would be devastating to his legacy," Bosco concluded. Arnold escaped the jurisdiction of the states, which would have prosecuted treason at the time. His reputation, not unlike Trump’s, had already been tarnished. He was court-martialed by the Continental Army in 1779 for the non-treasonous charges of profiteering and misconduct. Trump, through his actions, has made abundantly clear whose side he is on in Russia’s war on Ukraine. If he continues on his overt anti-Ukraine, pro-Putin course, he could well surpass Benedict Arnold’s shameful legacy."
