DICTATOR DIPLOMACY DISFUNCTION

Trump, Putin, and the Fantasy of Dictator Diplomacy

When Vladimir Putin escalated his war of aggression in Ukraine, killing civilians, annexing territory, and openly challenging the post-WWII order, Donald Trump's reaction was telling. He didn’t condemn the act. He didn’t call out the criminal behavior. He didn’t speak to the suffering of the Ukrainian people. No, he said, “I’m not happy about that.”

Why? Because, in Trump’s mind, the real betrayal wasn’t the invasion. It was that his friend Putin didn’t consult him first.

This is how the world’s most dangerous narcissist processes global events: through the bruised ego of a man who believes that international war crimes are secondary to whether he’s feeling personally snubbed.

Let’s be clear: Putin is a brutal autocrat who rules by force and fear. His so-called alliances are built not on friendship but on necessity, convenience, and shared enemies. He does not need friends. He needs tools. And for a time, Trump played the part well.

But now, the illusion is shattered. Trump thought he could “get along” with fellow strongmen and that authoritarian rule would be a passport to mutual respect and cooperation. Instead, he learned the lesson every narcissist eventually faces: real dictators don’t care about your feelings. They don’t honor loyalty. They don’t return favors. They pursue raw power and crush those who get in the way.

So no, Mr. Trump, this isn’t about you. It’s about a criminal regime in Moscow that has invaded a sovereign country, slaughtered civilians, and thumbed its nose at every rule of civilized conduct. The time for naive bromance and “I think we’ll get along great” diplomacy is over.

Putin only understands force, and it’s time the United States starts responding with precisely that.

That means increased intelligence, more military aid, and direct support to Ukraine’s defenses. No more half-measures. No more fearing Putin’s tantrums. He pushed Europe to the brink; now we go back.

That means sanctions with teeth, real ones that cut off oligarch wealth, sever financial lifelines, and kneecap the Kremlin’s war machine. Economic war is war, too, and it’s one the West can win without firing a shot.

And yes, it means preparing for escalation, including the nuclear threat. Because appeasement has never stopped a tyrant. Only strength and resolve have. We didn’t back down in the face of Hitler. We didn’t flinch when the Cold War turned hot in Korea or Cuba. And we cannot turn away now simply because Trump can’t get over the fact that his pal Vlad won’t return his calls.

Trump’s entire worldview is built on the false belief that personal charm is a substitute for policy, that manipulation is stronger than morality, and that dictators are just misunderstood CEOs with bigger weapons. It’s childish. It’s delusional. And in the face of real geopolitical threats, it’s outright dangerous.

The lesson here isn’t just about Putin. It’s about Trump. His unfitness for leadership isn’t a matter of ideology. It’s psychological. He is incapable of seeing beyond himself. His lens is always personal. And in the ruthless world of authoritarianism, that makes him a mark, not a master.

The U.S. must support Ukraine not just to protect democracy abroad but also to remind the world that we still stand for something beyond our leaders’ personal feelings. The time to act is now, with force, clarity, and the full understanding that dictators don't need friendship. They need to be stopped.

William James Spriggs