According to Bloomberg, some of Trump’s staunchest supporters fear that stepping up military aid to Ukraine could mirror the disastrous fallout President Joe Biden faced after the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“If President Trump sells them [Ukraine] offensive weapons capable of striking Russia, I don’t see how this doesn’t become Trump’s war,” Bannon stated. “The media, the Ukrainians, the Russians, and the neocons — all will say it’s Trump’s war.”
While the conflict in Ukraine differs significantly from the Afghan war, Bloomberg notes that the risk is similar for Trump: a prolonged engagement may shift responsibility for its outcome onto him, just as the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul haunted Biden’s presidency.
The US deployed troops to Afghanistan in 2001 after the September 11 attacks to target al-Qaeda. Trump initiated the first agreement to end the mission in 2020, but it was Biden who oversaw the final withdrawal a year later, resulting in a swift takeover by the Taliban and widespread criticism — including from Trump himself.
Bannon’s position contrasts sharply with recent statements from the White House. Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly defended Trump’s recent decision to supply additional weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles, using European stockpiles.
“President Trump wants to stop the killing, which is why he’s selling US weapons to NATO allies and threatening Putin with tough tariffs and sanctions unless he agrees to a ceasefire,” Kelly said.
The Biden administration has repeatedly stated that it does not plan to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, despite mounting pressure from NATO partners to increase aid and impose fresh sanctions on Moscow.
Trump, for his part, has attempted to remain somewhat distant from the conflict, frequently declaring that the war “would never have started” under his leadership. Earlier this month, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said:
“This is not my war — this is Biden’s war. I’m trying to stop it.”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has taken note of Trump’s increasingly sharp rhetoric. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, called Trump’s recent statements serious and worth analyzing. He emphasized that Ukraine interprets US weapons deliveries and threats of sanctions “not as signals toward peace, but as signals to continue the war.”
