In a striking contrast, former President Donald Trump has been applying punitive measures against institutions like Harvard University, while his tactics towards Russian President Vladimir Putin remain markedly lenient.
Trump’s ongoing assault on Harvard includes freezing billions of federal grants and making attempts to restrict the university’s enrollment of international students, a move currently stalled by a federal judge’s ruling.
The former administration’s aggressive stance on higher education extends beyond just Harvard.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the federal government intends to ‘aggressively revoke’ visas for Chinese students, who represent the second-largest demographic of international students in American colleges and universities.
However, the narrative is quite different when it comes to Trump’s engagement with Putin.
Even among Republican lawmakers, who typically maintain a silent front on such matters, a growing number are urging Trump to adopt a more assertive position against the Russian leader than mere expressions of disappointment.
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa articulated this sentiment on social media, suggesting that Trump’s supposed friendship with Putin should have yielded more tangible results.
Grassley stated, ‘I believe President Trump was sincere when he thought his friendship [with] Putin [would] end the war.’
He stressed that now is the time for ‘sanctions strong enough so Putin knows “game over.”’
Grassley went on to assert that Trump should implement sanctions against Putin akin to those he imposes on Harvard, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, typically a staunch ally of Trump, also voiced frustrations in The Wall Street Journal.
Graham noted that the Senate is prepared to take action against Russia in ways that Trump has not yet pursued.
He wrote, ‘If Mr. Putin continues to play games, the Senate will act.’
The contrast between Trump’s stern measures against educational institutions and his reluctance to confront Putin is glaring, especially as Ukrainians continue to face dire circumstances.
Trump has mentioned potential sanctions against Russia, but critics argue these have largely remained empty threats.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump stated, ‘What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened in Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD.’
However, observers suggest that Trump’s words have lacked the necessary weight.
As tensions escalate, Trump’s approach has been described as lacking warmth, akin to a ‘televised holiday Yule Log.’
With lives on the line in Ukraine and Putin exercising unchecked authority, critics contend that Trump’s self-portrayal as a decisive leader holds little weight when it comes to handling the Kremlin.
Even after Trump labeled Putin as ‘crazy’ online, the Kremlin interpreted his comments as a mere display of emotional instability rather than a serious policy stance.
Russian officials characterized Trump’s behavior as one of ’emotional overload,’ further illustrating the disparity between his aggressive actions at home and his subdued response abroad.
When pressed about whether he believes Putin genuinely wants to end the war, Trump offered a vague reply, indicating uncertainty.
‘I can’t tell you that, but I’ll let you know in about two weeks,’ he stated on May 28.
The odds suggest that little will change in the interim.
Trump seems to possess movable ‘goalposts’ when it comes to Russia, revealing a preference for targeting educational institutions over confronting a world leader whose actions lead to immense suffering.
Ultimately, when Putin asserts his power, it appears that Trump retreats, highlighting the deeper implications of his inconsistent foreign policy.
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