Economists like to take a look at precise conduct as a method of inferring what folks consider. That is known as “revealed choice.” I’ve at all times discovered it to be a really great tool.
Current statements by high Trump administration officers have puzzled observers on either side of the political spectrum. Right here’s the Nationwide Overview, a conservative publication that usually helps Trump, however differs together with his views on quite a lot of vital points:
However up to now in his second time period, concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Trump has supplied to Vladimir Putin that Ukraine is not going to retake all its annexed and occupied sovereign territory, that Ukraine is not going to be part of NATO, that there can be no U.S. troops on Ukrainian soil after the warfare, and that the U.S. will raise sanctions on Russia. And Trump would possibly even throw in a withdrawal of the additional 20,000 U.S. troops that Joe Biden despatched to NATO’s jap flank after the invasion of Ukraine.
And in trade, Putin supplied . . . effectively, nothing, actually.
Critics have complained that this isn’t the kind of conduct you’d count on from a politician that prides himself in being a talented dealmaker.
A couple of days in the past, I urged that the critics had it incorrect. They have been working below the mistaken assumption that Ukraine was America’s ally and Russia was our enemy. In actual fact, Trump has lengthy been an admirer of Vladimir Putin and has often been dismissive of the Ukrainian authorities. Relatively than viewing these kinds of pre-negotiation concessions as “errors”, I seen them as ways to weaken Ukraine’s negotiating place. Put merely, Trump sees America as Russia’s pal, allied towards Ukraine and the EU.
At this time, Trump all however confirmed my declare:
Concerning the warfare, President Donald Trump says to the Ukrainians, “It is best to have by no means began it!” Someplace in Moscow, Vladimir Putin should be grinning from ear to ear.
Because of this, the Nationwide Overview now shares my view:
Trump is flailing and thrashing round, attempting something to justify his present de facto pro-Russian stance.
PPS. Laborious to consider that this was simply three years in the past:
