Trump Defends the Putin Summit After Getting a Lot of Criticism, Calling His Critics “Fake News”

After his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was widely publicized, ended without any progress on resolving the war in Ukraine, former President Donald Trump is getting a lot of criticism. Trump defended himself angrily on Sunday night, calling negative coverage “fake news” and attacking political opponents who suggested he granted Putin an international win without getting anything in return.

Trump said the summit that took place on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, would be a turning point in the fight to bring peace to Ukraine. But no deal was made, so some are wondering if the event did anything other than give Putin the honor of visiting the U.S. Instead of admitting that there were no results, Trump doubled down, saying that the media got it wrong and that Democrats were changing the story.

Trump said on his Truth Social account that he didn’t lose and that the decision to host Putin in the U.S. had been a source of contention. Trump said that the media would have attacked him no matter where the summit was place. He also said that under his leadership, there have been “zero illegal crossings” at America’s southern border in the last three months. He promised to make communities like Washington, D.C., “safe and secure.”

Trump Goes After Political Rivals

Trump also went after Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who said that Putin “got everything he wanted” from the meeting. Trump quickly called Murphy a “lightweight” and said that the senator’s statements made it harder to stop the war. Trump said that no one made any real progress during the discussions, but he still thought peace was possible if “stupid people” quit getting in the way.

People on the internet quickly made fun of the former president’s reaction. Some political analysts called his diatribe another sign of Trump’s fixation with the news, while others said he was turning failure into praise for himself. The criticism shows that many people don’t trust Trump’s foreign policy, notably his frequent assurances that he could rapidly resolve the Ukraine crisis if he were to return to the White House.

A Very Important Week for Foreign Relations

The failed conference with Putin happens right before Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, D.C. The timing is important since Trump has long questioned U.S. backing for Ukraine and slashed military aid to Kyiv while he was president. His failure to get even a temporary stop to the conflict during the Alaska summit with Putin makes them even more doubtful that he can keep his promises.

People who watched say that Trump’s plan to employ a mix of threats and rewards, such probable economic sanctions and a ceremonial welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, didn’t work. Instead, Putin got more attention on the world stage, which is something Western leaders have been trying to avoid since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Fallout and Future Problems

Trump may be more hurt by how the meeting looks than by the fact that there was no deal. Critics say that by providing Putin a U.S. platform without getting anything in return, he made Russia’s position seem more legitimate and weakened America’s power. The war in Ukraine is already in its fourth year with no end in sight. People are still wondering if Trump’s plan can bring peace or if it would only make Putin stronger.

The controversy also shows that Trump still has a hard time with how the media sees him. He still acts like he’s the only leader who can restore peace to Eastern Europe, but his angry response to criticism makes it seem like it will be difficult to convince both citizens and parliamentarians. People may now consider his meeting with Zelenskyy as a test of whether he can keep beneficial connections with both sides of the controversy or whether his foreign policy will stay stuck in arguments at home.