Trump gives incoherent explanation on pledge to let Ukraine build Patriot missile factory

Published Aug 2, 07:13 AM UTC

President Donald Trump gave a rambling, 645-word response when asked whether he would honor a previous pledge to allow Ukraine to build its own Patriot anti-missile interceptor factory. The answer included non-sequiturs, explosion noises, attacks on Joe Biden, and mentions of unrelated missiles. Trump had publicly announced the license at a NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, but later expressed caution in a Financial Times interview. Despite the confusion, Ukrainian officials, including President Zelenskyy and Ambassador Stefanishyna, said they are proceeding based on the commitment, with defense contractors already visiting Ukraine. The article highlights Trump's equivocation, his history of admiration for Putin, and his moral equivalence between Russia and Ukraine.