Fox News analyst Brit Hume says Donald Trump 'got played' by Vladimir Putin

Fox News' Chief Political Analyst Brit Hume offered his perspective on President Donald Trump's recent approach to Russia.

Trump has reportedly been frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid his escalating war with Ukraine. Recently, Russia has magnified its drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, leading to a surge in civilian casualties since the invasion began in February 2022.

On Monday, Trump declared that the U.S. would supply "top-of-the-line weapons" to Ukraine via NATO allies and issued a warning of secondary sanctions against Russia if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not achieved within 50 days. These sanctions would include imposing 100% tariffs on nations trading with Russia for commodities like oil, for example. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, starting the war.

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When Bret Baier questioned him on the subject after airing a clip of Trump's threat, Hume gave his insight on Fox's Special Report.

"Look, it's clear from what the president himself has said, although he wouldn't put it this way, that he got played by Putin and dragged on for months," Hume stated on the broadcast dated Monday, July 14, reports the Mirror US.

"And he was being jollied along under the impression that Putin had obviously given him that Putin wanted to end the war and was prepared to negotiate from where we are. And it's pretty clear now that Putin didn't want to end the war where we are. He had more conquests in mind and perhaps wanted his whole original purpose of taking Ukraine to be fulfilled," Brit claimed,

Further commenting on the situation, Brit said that Ukraine has held Russia off from that purpose andremarked on Trump's initial reluctance to send additional arms to Ukraine "because he thought that would simply escalate the conflict,"during the start of his present term.

"I think he's now changed his mind about that and is prepared not only to add weapons to Ukraine's forces through Europe, he's also prepared, it seems, to impose some sanctions that really might make a difference to Russia," the political analyst stated "Secondary sanctions on countries buying oil from Russia could be serious for the Russian economy."

Trump's recent rhetoric on Russia indicates a marked shift from his previously amicable behaviour and words towards Putin. In a recent call with BBC, when the outlet questioned if Trump was "done" with Putin, he responded, "I'm disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him. But I'm disappointed in him."

Confronted by the media on how he would make Putin "stop the bloodshed."

Trump offered a vague response, "We're working at it, Gary.

"We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," he added.