Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin both have disregarded Trump's wishes without suffering meaningful consequences. Israel struck Hamas figures in Qatar despite Trump's appeals for a cease-fire, and Putin launched more attacks inside Ukraine just weeks after sitting down with Trump in Alaska. NATO allies responded by destroying Russian drones over Poland, but the US did not send troops, signalling Washington's hesitation to escalate, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Reluctant responses
Trump has responded cautiously to testy phone exchanges with Netanyahu and enigmatic tweets concerning the Russian penetration of Polish airspace. Trump has recently threatened "major sanctions" against Moscow but made them contingent on new conditions, including Europe closing all Russian oil imports and NATO imposing tariffs on China. Such conditions have been described by former officials as an effort at "slow rolling" decisions, as opposed to applying pressure, and raised questions regarding US commitment in the most dangerous war zone in Europe.
Diplomatic paradox
Trump bills himself as a dealmaker who has ended wars from South Asia to Southeast Asia, but in Gaza and Ukraine—the conflicts he most frequently cites—he has not been willing to employ US leverage. His aides respond that having personal relationships with Netanyahu and Putin is key to continued diplomacy. Critics suggest that sheer relations will never overcome strategic ambitions: Putin sees destroying Ukraine as a task from the past, and Netanyahu sees completing Hamas on his terms as his duty.
US weapons left sitting idle
Analysts add Trump still has a lot of leverage. Israel gets $3 billion each year in US military assistance, and Washington recently assisted with the attack on Iran's buried Fordow nuclear facility, a mission Israel couldn't attempt on its own. Cutting back on arms shipments would squeeze Netanyahu into concessions. Against Russia, stronger energy sanctions and clearing the way for Ukrainian long-range bombing would shift the battlefield. But Trump has hesitated at both, targeting US allies such as India with tariffs while giving China a pass, Russia's most important energy buyer.
Domestic and international consequences
In the US, Trump's political allies like Sen. Lindsey Graham are urging stronger action against Russia, including sanctions bills. European NATO partners, however, are deploying more troops without American soldiers, and anxiety that Washington is relinquishing the leadership is growing. In the Middle East, Trump continues to back Israel's military response against Hamas but cautions against further moves in Qatar, a show of his desire to be perceived as being supportive without causing a breach with Netanyahu.
What comes next
While Israel prepares another Gaza City campaign and Russia penetrates farther into Ukraine, Trump is in danger of appearing passive where American involvement is most crucial. Allies argue that his caution avoids unwanted escalation and preserves relationships for future deals. Critics counter that it erodes American credibility, demoralizes allies, and emboldens enemies. For now, the paradox of a president who portrays himself as a peacemaker but hesitates to push for peace remains unresolved.
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