“Nobody likes to see somebody try to play the president,” but Trump doesn’t seem to mind Putin’s mockery

Recent large-scale drone and missile attacks by Russia on Ukrainian targets have highlighted the growing tension between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Ukrainian officials, this offensive marks the largest aerial assault since the war began, coming just a month after Trump’s social media directive to Putin that simply stated, “Vladimir, STOP!”

The situation has prompted U.S. senators, including some Republicans, to urge the White House to implement new economic sanctions against Moscow. Despite months of threats, Trump has shown reluctance to take such action, leading to increased scrutiny of his stance toward Russia.

According to MSNBC, Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota expressed his concern about the situation, stating that “nobody likes to see somebody try to play the president.” However, Trump’s response to Putin’s actions has been notably subdued, with his latest social media post suggesting that he has been protecting Russia from “really bad things.”

Trump claims he’s preventing ‘really bad things’ from happening to Russia

In a puzzling social media post on Tuesday, Trump declared that Putin doesn’t realize that “if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!” This statement has raised questions about Trump’s relationship with Russia and his apparent efforts to protect it from unspecified consequences.

The Russian state television network RT, which effectively represents the Putin regime’s viewpoint, responded to Trump’s message with mockery just eight minutes after it was posted. This public ridicule by Russia’s state-run media marks a significant shift in the dynamic between Trump and Putin’s government.

The incident has highlighted Trump’s continuing reluctance to take a firm stance against Russia, even as pressure mounts from within his own party for stronger action. His claim of protecting Russia from severe consequences has led to multiple unanswered questions about the nature and duration of this protection, as well as why such actions have been kept secret.

Trump’s apparent weakness toward Putin continues to draw criticism, particularly as Russia escalates its attacks on Ukraine. Despite the mockery from Russian state media and growing concerns from fellow Republicans, Trump maintains his unusually accommodating position toward Putin’s regime, showing little sign of changing his approach even in the face of public ridicule from Moscow.