On Ukraine and Putin – it’s 'TACO' on speed.

According to President Trump’s promises and threats, he should by now have punished Russia and helped Ukraine. Instead, ‘Trump Always Chickens Out’ (‘TACO’) - also on Ukraine and Putin.

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN

The term ‘TACO’ stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out” and was first coined by Financial Times commentator Robert Armstrong; it describes President Trump's pattern of announcing heavy tariffs, causing economic shock, panic and stock market crashes and then Trump will soon backtrack (and claim a win).

Trump himself has reacted with anger when journalists have asked him about the term. “That is the nastiest question,” growled the most skin-skinned president in history. That, of course, doesn’t make the term less funny or less relevant to understanding his policies.

‘TACO’ - also on Ukraine and Putin

No disrespect to tariffs, so to speak - but now imagine that we are talking about life and death. That a U.S. President repeatedly chickens out on stopping a dictator that has invaded a neighbouring country, killed 200,000 people and forced 12-14 million to flee their homes, tortured, imprisoned and raped tens of thousands of innocent people.

Just imagine.

But, yes, also on Ukraine and Russia - “TACO” - “Trump Always Chicken Out.” The U.S. President promises, screams, threatens – but always, always chickens out from punishing the Russian dictator.

In fact, he does even worse. Trump has on countless occasions directly excused Russian bombings on Ukraine, accused Ukraine of having started the war - and even punished Ukraine and Zelensky.

Going back to “TACO” on tariffs, this would be the equivalent of Trump threatening China with enormous tariffs, but then falling down like a sweet, little, helpless lamb – and not only excusing China’s aggressive behaviour and expressing understanding for their difficult situation (!) - but ending up slashing the tariffs on China and instead imposing tariffs on…. say, Taiwan. Literally doing the opposite of what he promised and threatened.

The following are all Trump’s own words - direct quotes. Bombastic words but no action. Lots of shrill bark but zero bite = TACO.

The threat / promise

We have all heard him. Again and again and again.

“If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours.” Then the 24 hours turned to “within this week”, which turned into “within the next two weeks”, which turned into “soon, I think, I hope.”

But Trump’s approach has always been built on the same: his conviction that “I know Putin well, he respects me”, “I know Zelensky well,” and

“I would tell Putin, if you don't make a deal, we're going to give him [Zelensky] a lot. We're going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day. One day.”

In other words, if Russia does not show an interest in ending the bloodshed and participating in negotiations, Trump has always promised/threatened to change his policy and throw his support behind Ukraine. There is literally no other way this can be understood.

It was exactly with that message that Trump began his second presidency. Here is the BBC, January 23 this year. It is pretty clear, I’d say.

But Putin just keeps bombing.

Well, more than four months have passed - and the case could not be more clear-cut, Donald: Nobody who is not paid by the Kremlin would suggest that Putin has shown any interest whatsoever in stopping the war.

In fact, Mr President, you yourself have expressed unhappiness with the Russian lack of restraint. Here is Newsweek from March.

Ukraine, on the other hand - no, actually, in glaring contrast - agreed to Trump’s suggestion of an unconditional ceasefire already on March 11. Putin did not. And still doesn’t. Every single night, Russia is pounding Ukraine, killing innocent Ukrainians in their beds. In April and May we have even seen a huge upsurge in the number of Russian drones, missiles and bombs aimed specifically at apartment blocks, busy markets and playgrounds.

Don’t take my words for it – Trump himself has increasingly shown exasperation with Putin - here Forbes from April 26 - and threatened Russia with sanctions.

Putin didn’t mind Trump’s harsh words. Didn’t care one hoot, actually. The KGB dude in the Kremlin had probably long before the rest of us sussed out 'TACO’.

“Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!” Trump posted in late April, after another Russian attack had killed many Ukrainians - while Trump was busy talking up the prospects of a ceasefire and peace.

Trump told reporters that he was “very surprised” about the latest, massive Putin bombing campaign - “We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities.”

The Kremlin’s response was - to describe the U.S. President as “emotional.”

But still, the U.S. President opposes imposing sanctions on Russia. Here is Reuter’s two days later, May 28:

So much ado about nothing. Posting, Trumpeting, shouting, threatening - as opposed to doing. ‘TACO’ indeed.

More than four months into Trump’s presidency – and we have not seen one single concrete step by the U.S. to force Russia to stop. Or even to negotiate. Nada.

In fact, Trump is not only not punishing Russia’s murderous behaviour – Putin’s war in Ukraine is the biggest act of aggression on the continent since Hitler - he has done the opposite. On several occasions, the U.S. President has berated Ukraine and its leader, President Volodymyr Zelensky. This is ‘TACO’ on speed.

We all remember the Trump/Vance attack on Zelensky in the Oval Office in February. Many of my Republican friends and colleagues told me that they felt nauseous watching it on TV, ashamed.

This was followed by the U.S. President directly accusing the Ukrainian leader of having started the war - despite the fact that anybody with a TV could watch Putin - on the morning of February 24, 2022 - declaring that he had just ordered Russian troops to cross the border into Ukraine. We have all seen the videos of the raping, torturing and killing in places like Bucha, Irpin and Mariupol. But, nevertheless, to ingratiate himself with the Russian dictator, the U.S. President has had the audacity to suggest that it was, in fact, Ukraine that started the war, and that Zelensky is the main obstacle to peace.

After the bust-up in the Oval Office in February, Trump even went as far as directly punishing Ukraine - by pausing the intelligence sharing with the Ukrainians and thereby making it easier for Russia to hit targets in Ukraine. With deadly consequences, as TIME reported.

‘“As a result of this pause, there are hundreds of dead Ukrainians,’ one of the officers told TIME in an interview.”

This is the equivalent of Trump threatening China with tariffs – but then not only chickening out from imposing such tariffs, but instead going one worse and imposing them on, say, China’s enemies, Taiwan.

The most bizarre thing is that we, in fact, now have Trump himself acknowledging that “TACO” on Ukraine and Putin. Here it is - the U.S. President, word for word, telling us that he has been holding the hand over and protecting Putin and Russia.

And just like Wall Street is increasingly betting that Trump will blink first in the tariffs stand-off, Putin is doing the same on Ukraine. And has been right every single time.

Oh, yes, on Ukraine and Russia, it’s most definitely “TACO” time - on speed.