Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, Fiona Hill, stated that Trump seeks to emulate Vladimir Putin by governing the U.S. in a similar top-down manner, emphasizing a hyper-personalized presidency without checks and balances. Hill noted that Trump desires to normalize U.S.-Russia relations and has shown interest in reducing U.S. support for Ukraine, urging European nations to take more responsibility for their security. This follows Trump’s claim that a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine is “very close,” pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to expedite the process.
