In His Own Words: How Trump Changed His Tone on Putin and the War in Ukraine
In His Own Words: How Trump Changed His Tone on Putin and the War in Ukraine

After years of lavishing praise on the Russian leader, President Trump abruptly changed his posture amid mounting frustration with the lack of progress on a cease-fire.
Read the full article on NY Times Politics
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article appears mostly accurate, with the central claim of Trump changing his tone on Putin supported by multiple sources. There's a slight bias due to the framing of Trump's previous relationship with Putin as "lavishing praise," which could be interpreted differently. Some claims are not directly verifiable within the provided sources, but the overall narrative aligns with available information.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** "After years of lavishing praise on the Russian leader..."
- Verification Source #4: Mentions Trump calling Putin's invasion of Ukraine "genius" in his first term, which can be interpreted as praise.
- Analysis: This claim is supported by Verification Source #4, although the term "lavishing praise" is subjective and could be considered a framing choice.
- Claim:** "...President Trump abruptly changed his posture amid mounting frustration with the lack of progress on a cease-fire."
- Verification Source #3: States Trump is "changing his tone on Russia and specifically really changing his tone on President Putin."
- Verification Source #5: Mentions Trump changing his tone toward Putin.
- Analysis: This claim is supported by Verification Sources #3 and #5. The reason for the change ("mounting frustration with the lack of progress on a cease-fire") is not directly confirmed by the provided sources, but it is a plausible explanation.
- Claim:** (Implied) Trump previously had a positive relationship with Putin.
- Verification Source #4: Implies a positive relationship by mentioning Trump's previous praise of Putin's actions.
- Analysis: This claim is supported by Verification Source #4.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Agreement:** Verification Sources #3, #4, and #5 all agree that Trump has recently changed his tone regarding Putin.
- Lack of Coverage:** The specific reason for Trump's change in tone ("mounting frustration with the lack of progress on a cease-fire") is not directly confirmed by the provided sources.
- Subjectivity:** The phrase "lavishing praise" is a subjective interpretation of Trump's past statements and actions.