A Russian Commentator Provides a More Accurate Picture of Trump than Does the Western Media

May 2, 2025 | Categories: Guest Contributions | Tags: |  Print This Article

A Russian Commentator Provides a More Accurate Picture of Trump than Does the Western Media

“The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency have sparked a wave of commentary portraying him as a revolutionary. Indeed, the speed, pressure, and determination with which he has acted are striking. But this view is superficial. Trump is not dismantling the foundations of the American state or society. On the contrary, he seeks to restore the pre-globalist republic that the liberal elite long ago diverted onto a utopian internationalist path. In this sense, Trump is not a revolutionary, but a counterrevolutionary – an ideological revisionist determined to reverse the excesses of the liberal era.

“At home, Trump benefits from Republican majorities in both houses of Congress. Legal challenges to his policies – particularly on downsizing government and deporting illegal immigrants – have so far made little progress. Accustomed to media attacks, Trump continues to hit back hard. The recent story alleging that top officials debated strikes on Yemen over Signal has not gained political traction. If anything, it reinforces Trump’s image as a president who acts decisively and without fear of scandal.

“Trump’s economic course is clear: re-industrialization, tariff protectionism, and investment in cutting-edge technologies. He is reversing decades of globalist integration, pressing allies to pool financial and technological resources with the US to rebuild its industrial base. Tactically, Trump applies pressure early, then offers retreats and compromises to lure competitors into negotiations favorable to America. This approach has been effective, particularly with Washington’s allies. Even with China, Trump is betting that Beijing’s reliance on the US market, and America’s influence over EU and Japanese trade policy, will yield strategic concessions.”

Dmitry Trenin’s assessment can be read here:  https://www.rt.com/news/616578-trumps-foreign-policy-calculated/ 

PCR comment:  Trenin, like so many Russians hopeful of being part of the West, overlooks the possibility that the purpose of the Ukrainian peace negotiations is to sequence the West’s wars against Russia and China.  I look forward to reading Dmitry Trenin’s assessment of West Mitchell’s recent article in Foreign Affairs.  https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2025/04/26/a-peace-deal-or-a-deception/