It appears to be dawning on President Trump that he will not be ending the Russia-Ukraine war in one day as he promised during the campaign. Trump’s frustration at Vladimir Putin is rising: This week he accused Putin of hitting him with “bullshit” and even admitted Putin’s word to him is “meaningless.” This comes as it’s now being reported that Putin is escalating the war against Ukraine and that he’s brushing aside Trump’s anger about it. Add it all up, and Trump is plainly humiliated, realizing that Putin is laughing off his demand for “peace.” We talked to Mona Charen, policy editor at The Bulwark, who writes well about the Trumpified GOP’s embrace of Putin. She explains how Putin has long played Trump, why Putin feels free to humiliate him, and what the various scenarios ahead look like. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.
PODCAST
Angry Trump Shocked to Discover Putin Has Humiliated Him: “Bullshit!”
As Trump seethes over his apparent realization that Putin doesn’t take him seriously, a writer who tracks the Trumpified GOP decodes Trump’s anger and explains how unsettling the current moment truly is.

Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on June 30