President Donald Trump, once known for his warm words toward Vladimir Putin, now says he’s “not happy” with the Russian leader — and is sending more U.S. weapons to Ukraine to help fend off Russian aggression.
“This is killing a lot of people,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. “Putin is not treating human beings right.” His comments come just days after reversing a Pentagon-announced pause on arms shipments to Kyiv, citing mounting civilian and military casualties.
Trump acknowledged the war has proven harder to end than he once claimed. “It turned out to be tougher,” he admitted. While he previously suggested he could negotiate a swift peace, he now blames Putin for escalating the bloodshed and dismisses any notion that Moscow wants to stop fighting.
Last week, Trump reportedly expressed frustration with defense officials for pausing shipments without full White House coordination. When pressed about who authorized the delay, Trump quipped, “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”
His tone marks a sharp shift from the campaign trail, where Trump vowed to quickly resolve the conflict. By April, he had taken to Truth Social to post blunt demands: “Vladimir, STOP!”
Now, in meetings with world leaders — including a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — Trump has made it clear: he’s done holding back on Putin. “I’m not happy with President Putin at all,” he said.
Despite criticism, Trump defended past U.S. military support, claiming it helped Ukraine avoid being overrun in a matter of days. “They had the benefit of unbelievable equipment,” he said. “It probably would have been a very quick war.”