Confusion is growing within Donald Trump’s inner circle as his allies appear split on a crucial question: Is Vladimir Putin an enemy or a potential partner? This internal rift is going public just as U.S. intelligence agencies prepare to present their global threat assessment to Congress for Trump’s potential second term.
🔄 Intelligence vs. Trump Allies: Two Conflicting Views of Russia
While U.S. intelligence agencies continue to warn that Putin aims to crush Ukraine and weaken the West, Trump’s allies are pushing a different narrative — portraying the Russian leader as someone who wants peace and could be a future partner.
According to The New York Times, this divide is fueling tension inside the administration. It intensified after Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump friend and informal envoy to the Middle East and Russia, gave an interview with Tucker Carlson, repeating talking points that sound straight out of the Kremlin playbook.
🗣️ "Putin Wants Stability" — Says Witkoff
Witkoff downplayed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, suggesting Putin has no interest in taking over the country.
"Why would they want to absorb Ukraine? They want stability," he said.
He even described his meeting with Putin as “honest,” despite the Russian leader lying about not invading Ukraine just before doing exactly that.
🌍 Allies Alarmed by Pro-Russia Rhetoric
Witkoff’s statements shocked diplomats and intelligence professionals in Europe and the U.S. alike. The concern: if America's messaging becomes inconsistent, international partners might stop sharing critical intelligence.
Several foreign officials said Witkoff’s remarks closely mirrored Russian propaganda. He even legitimized Russia’s so-called “referendums” in four occupied Ukrainian regions, widely condemned as fake and coerced.
Kyiv Responds: “Disgraceful Comments — Whose Envoy Is He?”
Oleksandr Merezhko, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker, blasted Witkoff’s remarks as
“Shameful and shocking. Is he Trump’s envoy — or Putin’s?”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took a more measured approach but warned that Russian disinformation has already strained ties with Trump’s team in the past.
He directly refuted one of Trump’s recent claims about Ukrainian troops being surrounded in western Russia:
“That was a lie,” Zelenskyy said.
🤐 Intelligence Officials Walk a Tightrope
So far, no U.S. intelligence agency has officially changed its assessment of Russia. But as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe prepare to testify before Congress, they will have to navigate how to talk about Russia without directly contradicting the White House.
🔮 What Comes Next?
Trump still refuses to clearly state that Russia invaded Ukraine, while pressing NATO allies to increase military spending. That position is sowing distrust among Western leaders.
On one side: the United States striving to maintain global leadership. On the other: a Trump-aligned narrative that denies the war’s realities and paints Putin as a potential ally.
Caught in the middle is Ukraine — still fighting a brutal war, while the world searches for clarity.
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