Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, one of Donald Trump\u2019s fiercest critics, surprised many on Wednesday when she applauded the former president for his new, tougher posture toward Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking on MSNBC\u2019s Morning Joe<\/em>, Clinton acknowledged Trump\u2019s remarks at the UN General Assembly and on Truth Social, where he suggested Ukraine could reclaim \u201call of Ukraine back in its original form\u201d with support from NATO and European allies. The comments mark a stark departure from Trump\u2019s earlier suggestions that a peace settlement might involve Ukraine ceding territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clinton told host Joe Scarborough, \u201cI welcomed what the president said yesterday. I thought that given all the back-and-forth that we have seen and heard at Anchorage and elsewhere, his coming to grips with the fact that Vladimir Putin does not respond to any kind of rhetoric, he only responds to strength.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n She continued: \u201cYou have to show strength. You have to back strength. You have to be strong in order to deal with him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump\u2019s comments this week are notable because they reflect mounting frustration with Russia\u2019s faltering military campaign and its weakened economy under international sanctions. Once seen as willing to explore negotiations, Trump is now openly questioning the competence of Moscow\u2019s armed forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Truth Social, he wrote that Kyiv could regain \u201cthe original borders from where this war started\u201d with allied support, pointing to Russia\u2019s battlefield struggles and growing financial pressure at home. He also remarked, \u201cWhat kind of military does Russia have exactly? They couldn\u2019t even take over Ukraine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This sharper tone comes after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York. His remarks highlight a recalibration of strategy\u2014one that views backing Ukraine as not only about defending Europe but also about exposing Russia\u2019s vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clinton, who has long argued that Putin poses a grave threat to Western security, warned that Russia\u2019s aggression is a \u201cclear and present danger to all of Europe and therefore to the United States.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But she noted that Trump\u2019s message sends the right signal: \u201cAnd I think if what President Trump said yesterday is if we help Ukraine, Ukraine can hold the line and may even be able to push Russia back.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For Republicans, Trump\u2019s harder line could signal a growing recognition that strength and leverage\u2014not concessions\u2014are the path to containing Russia. As Clinton put it, Moscow has been badly overestimated: \u201cWe overestimated Russia\u2019s military strength and now we\u2019re seeing that they can be pushed back.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTrump\u2019s Shift in Tone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Clinton Warns About Russia, Backs Trump\u2019s Message<\/h3>\n\n\n\n