As Ukraine Shudders, Donald Trump Calls Vladimir Putin's Incursion 'Pretty Smart' The former president made his remarks at an event at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Wednesday night. On Tuesday, he called Putin's strategy "genius."

 Wednesday, Feb 23, 2022

With millions of Ukrainians fearing for their lives Wednesday night amid reports of an imminent Russian invasion of their country, former President Donald Trump said Russian leader Vladimir Putin was “pretty smart” for sparking what could be the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

“He’s taking over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart,” Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, according to New York Times reporter Shane Goldmacher and video footage obtained by the pro-Democratic group American Bridge. “He’s taking over a country, really a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people, just walking right in.” The former U.S. commander in chief added, “This would

Trump and Putin

have never happened, ever in a million years,” and said he understands Putin, seemingly suggesting that President Joe Biden is mismanaging the situation in Ukraine, where Putin has decided to support Russian-backed separatists’ bid to break up the country and has dispatched Russian troops. Biden this week imposed sanctions on Russian institutions and officials and warned far tougher action could follow.

“Now they laugh at us,” Trump said of U.S. adversaries, according to Goldmacher.