Trump Angry with Putin: Why Now?
Why Is Trump Angry with Putin?
Just weeks ago, Donald Trump’s heated Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28, 2025, had the world pointing fingers. Critics branded Trump a Putin apologist, with some resurrecting the old “Putin puppet” label from his 2016 campaign. After refusing to pin blame on Russia for the ongoing Ukraine war and instead slamming Zelensky as a “dictator,” Trump faced a storm of accusations that he was too cozy with the Kremlin.
Fast forward to March 30, 2025, and the narrative has flipped: Trump is now “very angry” and “pissed off” with Vladimir Putin, according to an NBC News interview. So, what dramatically changed in the last week to turn Trump’s bromance into a grudge match? Why is Trump angry with Putin?
Trump Angry with Putin: What Sparked the Shift?
The main reason for Trump’s ire is Putin’s moves that jeopardise Trump’s pledge to swiftly end the Russia-Ukraine war—a cornerstone of his second-term agenda. On March 28–29, 2025, Putin threw a curveball, questioning Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader since his term technically expired in May 2024 (though extended under martial law).
Speaking on Russian state TV, Putin argued Zelenskyy wasn’t a valid negotiator and suggested a UN-led transitional government to oversee new elections before any peace deal. Trump, who’d been banking on Zelenskyy to seal a ceasefire after a promising March 18 call with Putin, felt blindsided. “He started getting into Zelenskyy’s credibility… that’s not going in the right location,” Trump fumed to NBC, warning that a leadership change would stall talks for “a long time.” In retaliation, he threatened “secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia” if Putin keeps obstructing, a sharp pivot from his earlier conciliatory tone.
Trump Angry with Putin: UN Plan Sparks Fury
Trump’s frustration has an extra layer: his long-standing disdain for the United Nations. He’s consistently trashed the UN as a meddling, globalist flop—pulling the U.S. out of UNESCO in 2017, slashing UNRWA funds, and exiting the Paris Climate Accord and WHO during his first term. In a 2019 UN speech, he declared global institutions “ineffective” and sneered, “The future does not belong to globalists.”
His 2024 campaign doubled down, mocking the UN as a “talking shop” his base loves to hate. So when Putin floated a UN-led government for Ukraine on March 28–29—right as Trump was pushing a Zelensky-centered ceasefire—it likely grated on him. The move clashed with Trump’s preference for strongman-to-strongman deals, not bureaucratic handoffs, adding fuel to his anger at Putin’s curveball.
Putin’s UN gambit wasn’t just ideological—it threatened Trump’s practical plan. After a March 25 partial truce paused Black Sea clashes and energy attacks, Trump expected a full ceasefire to follow. But Putin’s reluctance—coupled with continued strikes, like the March 30–31 Kharkiv assault that killed two—showed he wasn’t fully on board. For Trump, who’d touted his “very good relationship” with Putin as a diplomatic ace, this was a personal blow. He’s poured his ego into brokering peace. When Putin’s actions—like the massive March 7 Ukraine attack after a U.S. aid cutoff—made that harder, Trump upped the ante. “If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault…,” he told NBC, signaling tariffs as a warning shot.
Since his outburst, Trump’s frustration has only grown. By April 1, he doubled down, telling reporters he’s ‘disappointed’ with Putin’s pace but sees ‘step-by-step’ progress, per Reuters. Yet Putin’s April 1 stance—rejecting Trump’s ceasefire terms ‘in current form,’ as noted on X—has pushed Trump to the brink. Reports suggest that Trump is now readying a ‘massive increase’ in sanctions enforcement, beyond just oil tariffs, to force Putin’s hand. Meanwhile, Russia’s Kharkiv strikes show Putin’s not easing up, testing Trump’s patience further.
A History of Admiration Meets a New Tension
While - Trump angry with Putin - has dominated headlines since his fiery March 30, 2025, outburst, this marks a sharp break from the past. Historically, Trump has been Putin’s loudest fan in the West. He’s called him “strong” and “smart” since a 2015 “60 Minutes” chat, a refrain echoed in 2025 campaign stops.
Trump admires Putin’s iron grip—crushing dissent, projecting power—mirroring the tough-guy image he cultivates. He’s also seen Putin as a dealmaking partner, banking on their March 18, 2025, call to unlock “enormous economic deals” and end the Ukraine war. Trump’s contrarian streak helps too—he’s dismissed Putin criticism as elite bias, a habit from his 2016 defenses of Russia. That admiration made his March 30 anger all the more striking.
Their bond has a transactional edge. Trump bragged to NBC on March 30, “We have a very good relationship, probably better than anyone else who’s dealt with him,” hinting Putin respects him uniquely. Yet allegations have shadowed this closeness. Trump’s pre-2017 business flirtations—like a failed Moscow Trump Tower—raised eyebrows about Russian financial ties.
The 2016 election interference, confirmed by U.S. intelligence to favor Trump, birthed collusion claims, though the Mueller Report found no criminal conspiracy. The unverified Steele Dossier’s “kompromat” rumours—salacious tapes from a 2013 Moscow trip—persist, fueled by ex-lawyer Michael Cohen’s 2020 hints of Trump’s Russian fears. Critics still cry “puppet,” pointing to Trump’s soft early-2025 stance on Russia’s war.
Yet this spat doesn’t spell doom for their goodwill. Trump’s anger—drawing a line with tariff threats—seems more about setting boundaries than burning bridges. He’s signaling what’s non-negotiable: a fast ceasefire on his terms. His caveat that frustration could “dissipate quickly” if Putin cooperates suggests he expects the Russian leader to hop back on track. If Putin aligns, their jolly ride could resume—two dealmakers back in sync, tariffs forgotten. For now, Trump’s fuming, but history says this duo’s too pragmatic to let a good friendship derail completely.
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