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Sept. 24, 2025 - Judging Freedom - Judge Andrew Napolitano
23:48
Prof. Gilbert Doctorow : Trump Embraces Ukraine!
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Hi everyone, Judge Andrew Napolitano here for Judging Freedom.
Today is Wednesday, September 24th, 2024.
Professor Gilbert Doctor will be with us in just a moment on President Trump embraces Ukraine.
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Professor Doctor, uh good morning and welcome here.
Thank you for coming on the show.
Thank you for accommodating my schedule.
Let's get right to the hot international news, at least in the West here, uh as the sun comes up on the east coast of the United States.
President Donald Trump yesterday saying that Ukraine can win in in all caps, WIN, the war against Russia and retake Crimea and the other areas now under Russian security control.
What do you make of that?
Double talk.
Look, my opinion has not changed.
I do not say that I am certain that I do not claim that uh others are wrong, but I think I am on to something quite important when I say that Mr. Trump deceives constantly, misinforms constantly.
These are the tools he uses to maintain his independence and to put at arm's length his many opponents domestically and abroad.
Well, what do the Russians think when uh Trump makes a statement like this?
And there's there's a lot more to it.
Russia is a paper tiger, and NATO, which of course includes the United States, which is predominantly the United States, can help Ukraine uh win the war.
You think these are just negotiating techniques?
I think they have the intent of making fools of his opponents.
And they very gladly fill that role.
The BBC today uh put without any question whatsoever the uh the uh statement that Trump has changed sides, that he now backs Ukraine, uh, that Ukraine will retake his territory.
They've gone in for that, and why not?
They are so heavily invested in this story that the Ukraine will win, that Russia will be humiliated, that they will seize at any opportunity, any straw that Mr. Trump gives them to think that he has joined their side.
That does not mean he joined their side.
Uh uh I look at the small print.
When he said the the that the uh Europeans uh can go ahead and shoot down Russian air Russian military aircraft if they are violating uh the air space of NATO countries over the Baltic.
He was then asked afterwards by a journalist whether the United States would support Europe in this uh venture, and he said it all depends.
Uh depends on the circumstances.
Well, if you're sitting in London, Paris, Berlin, and you hear him say that, you understand perfectly that you will be on your own.
And none of these countries is likely to take his invitation to fire a Russian aircraft and face the wrath of Russia by themselves, which is you missed one country in there which probably is prepared to fire at Russian aircraft and bear the brunt of uh Putin's wrath on its own.
Poland.
No, I don't believe so.
I don't think that uh that Mr. Tusk uh is uh that bold or that much a risk taker to put his country on the line without a firm backing from Washington, which he does not have and will not get.
All right, Chris, uh put up the full screen.
Uh you had it there a moment ago.
I just want to read the uh operative language of uh President Trump's statement on what he calls truth social.
Uh this is yesterday, uh Professor Doctor, where I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union is in a position to fight and win WIN and all caps, all of Ukraine back in its original form, with time patience and the financial support of Europe and in particular NATO, now I'm editorializing, which includes the United States.
Now back to reading, the original borders from where this war started is very much an option.
Why not?
Is he is this his negotiating, in your view, his negotiating technique?
And if so, with whom is he negotiating?
Um he is buying time yet again.
Now I'd like to note here that um it goes back to his remarks in the General Assembly when he said that uh that he was disappointed that Mr. Uh Putin did not do what the Americans expected, which is to defeat Ukraine in a week.
And then he made this taunt that you have quoted, that um that Russia is possibly a paper tiger.
I agree with him.
Insofar as what is really at issue is Mr. Putin's way of of conducting this war, where Mr. Putin, the lawyer, is at odds with Mr. Putin, the military commander-in-chief.
But it's not Mr. Uh Putin's goal in fighting the war, to eradicate a Ukrainian military so that at least for another generation the Russians don't have to put up with this again.
He could send off a half dozen arrests next tomorrow and and destroy the regime.
That's not what he wants to do.
I agree with your analysis, but I say it's a faulty, faulty policy, because the world does not stand still.
This has been the problem with this war from the beginning, that every time it looked like the Russians were coming to victory, the West came in with a new escalatory move and provided Ukraine with manpower, with uh advisors, and with hardware, which enabled them to fight on.
If the situation is now reaching a culmination point, which means that the defenders of Ukraine are all the more desperate and irresponsible in their behavior.
And I think it is a big mistake if Vladimir Putin does not take that into account and do what is within his power, which is to utterly destroy the Ukrainian regime in one day with the Reshniks on Bankovska Uritov, whatever it's called, the one street in downtown uh Kiev, where all the government officers are.
That would be much more sparing of Russian lives and of Ukrainian lives than his war of attrition today.
I guess he doesn't want to spare the Ukrainian lives.
Chris, let's play uh back to back the cuts that uh reference what Professor uh Doctor O has been saying 18 and then 22, Chris.
Mr. President, do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?
Yes, I do.
Would you back up NATO allies?
You said that you thought that they should shoot down uh the air Russian aircraft.
Would you back them up?
Would the United States help them out in some way?
Depends on the circumstance.
But it's been a terrible war, should have ended.
And uh Russia should have stopped it.
But uh they've been three and a half years and they've gotten that so far.
So we'll see what happens.
But the other side can fight too.
And they've proven that maybe it's a pay it could be that Russia is a paper tiger.
I don't know what they are, but three and a half years of fighting and killing everybody, of killing 7,000 people a week for nothing.
For nothing.
So it's a very sad situation.
But most of you have seen the recent statement I put out a little while ago.
And I'm glad you got it.
But I feel that way.
I really do feel that way.
Let them get their land back.
Yep.
So we'll see how it all works out.
Let them get their land back.
You know, Professor Dr. O, that that is a metaphysical impossibility.
And so does Donald Trump.
He is speaking with sarcasm.
And he is giving again the message that I have read into him going back weeks.
That is Mr. Putin get it over with.
He didn't say how the war should end.
He didn't say what Russia will give should give up in a settlement.
No.
He expects Russia to take it all the chips.
But they should do it now.
So we, the United States, and you Russians can get on with our real business, which starts which starts with renewal of the new start arms limitation agreement, which expires in February 26.
Very, very soon.
These are issues of much greater importance to Mr. Trump than where the lines between the new Ukrainian Rub state and Russia will be.
Well, they're certainly of great importance to the Russians.
I don't know if they're of importance to uh Trump.
He's the one that tears up these agreements.
He thinks they're a sign of weakness when the United States is very rationally restrained from expanding its its nuclear arsenal.
I want to play uh President Trump and President Macron again.
Watch the look on President Macron's face.
This goes to your uh argument, Professor uh Dr. O. He may be saying this for the benefit of the Europeans.
Watch uh the smirking president of France.
It's been a terrible war should have ended, and uh Russia should have stopped it.
But uh they've been three and a half years and they've gotten that so far.
So we'll see what happens.
But the other side can fight too, and they've proven that maybe it's a pay it could be that Russia is a paper tiger.
I don't know what they are, but three and a half years of fighting and killing everybody, of killing 7,000 people a week for nothing.
For nothing.
So it's a very sad situation.
But most of you have seen the recent statement I put out a little while ago.
And I'm glad you got it, but I feel that way.
I really do feel that way.
Let them get their land back.
Yep.
So we'll see how it all works out.
Here's uh President Zelensky's reaction, not to that interview with President uh Macron, but to the uh truth social posting that I read uh a few minutes ago, cut number 19.
I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form, with time patience and the financial support of Europe and in particular NATO, the original borders from where this war started is very much an option.
Are you surprised to hear that?
A little bit.
I mean, this uh uh I'm sure in my people in my army and uh I'm sure in strength of the United uh in support of the United States.
But President Trump was more positive in it, and uh he showed that he wants to support Ukraine to the very end.
So we understand now that we're ready to finish this war as quick as possible.
And he wants, and I want, and now our people want.
But he understands that Putin doesn't want and this time that he is not winning, but he says to everybody that he will win.
And uh I see very it was a bit surprised for me.
You're right.
I was very positive signals from the side that Trump and America will be with us to the end of the war.
Yes.
We will see, but God bless, it will be so good.
Yeah.
Thank you.
What do you expect him to say?
Surprised, and he's happy, but he may not believe it.
He may take the doctor of uh uh view of this.
Well, I I don't know how deeply he will analyze it.
Um so long as Trump says what he said that Europe will save uh Ukraine, uh Zelensky knows that it cannot save Ukraine.
Um the this is the key point.
Mr. Trump has washed his hands of American military and financial contributions to Ukraine.
That is decisive.
Everything else is irrelevant, actually.
Let Mr. Um Macron smirk, let him feel satisfied that he has turned turned Mr. Trump, which he hasn't.
The man is not for turning.
And uh uh I believe that that the Mr. Mr. Putin is missing the cues.
The cue is Trump is buying him time to end it and end it, he can only do without Ischniks.
Otherwise, this will go on for one more year.
And Lord knows what's going to happen in the in the global uh and the global alignment of countries on this war and again and on Russia in one year's time.
This is the time to end it.
Can you uh give me your understanding of the uh drone issue?
Uh the uh claims that uh Russia sent drones uh over Poland, the counterclaims uh that these were uh Russian drones on the ground in Ukraine reassembled by the Ukrainian sent over Poland as sort of uh a false flag.
How how do you read this drone controversy, which candidly seems a little like old news and then it keeps coming back?
It comes keeps coming back because it doesn't is not a self-standing issue.
The drone issue is part of the Russian incursion issue.
They are both being mastermined by the same people, probably sitting in MI6 in London.
It is because the Brits are way ahead of the states in nasty, nasty tricks, especially today, when Mr. Trump has pulled in uh the CIA and the other actors who otherwise took part in dirty tricks and false flag operations in Ukraine.
The um the situation is uh uh is complex, and I'm not surprised that many people have not seen this as one global campaign by the leadership in Europe,
uh this means uh uh uh Britain and Germany, um, to nail Russia with accusations that are false, or which are maybe true as in the case of incursions, but are true for reasons that are not coming up in the press.
I have in mind specifically the point that the um the in effect, the NATO uh powers in Europe are have created or want to create an air blockade on Russia.
They are saying that Russia is uh crossing their airspace.
Well, it probably is, because if you look at the map and if you ask Google artificial intelligence this question, can any uh aircraft pass the length of the Baltic without without uh passing over uh NATO countries uh uh territorial waters, the answer comes back.
So uh what we saw because uh Sweden, right?
Sweden joined NATO, and that made it almost impossible for Russian aircraft to cross the Baltic and not touch on one or another territorial water of a NATO state.
That is not being discussed in the media.
It is a nasty secret, uh because what we're talking about now is a centrally an attempt to blockade in the air, which follows the May events.
You will recall, in May of this year, the Estonians send cutters to arrest a gray fleet tanker that was taking oil to or from St. Petersburg as Russia owned.
And they were driven away, like scattering mice before a cat when the Russians sent up fighter planes over that area.
That failed.
The naval blockade on the ground on water level failed.
Now they're trying an air blockade.
So the only way what this will lead to, if it is pursued, and if they follow the advice of Mr. Trump and shoot down a Russian plane, it leads us directly to World War III.
Since Mr. Trump did not answer the question, you heard that he didn't answer the question, but the United States will provide support.
He was asked that elsewhere, in which he said it depends on the circumstances.
The point is that it's very feeble to non-existent support, and no NATO country will dare attack a Russian airplane if it doesn't have U.S. backing.
Does Emanuel Macron believe that Russia is a paper tiger?
I don't think for a minute he believes that.
He knows how many uh nuclear vessels he has.
He knows how many that the Russians have 10 times or more that number, and that he knows that the Russian nuclear uh triad is totally updated, which the United States is not.
Therefore, um if anyone is feeding him proper intelligence, and I assume they are, he knows that that is not a paper tiger.
Back to the uh drones.
Is it your understanding that MI6 engineered this, that the drones were uh a false flag and the polls were in on the scheme?
My first reading of the situation was much more simple and direct.
It seemed to me, and not just to me, but to many other people, that the Ukrainians had initiated this, and that the intent was to um put the Russians into direct conflict with Poland.
That if if a military action took place, then uh that would quickly broaden into a direct kinetic war as opposed to proxy war between uh NATO and Russia.
Then when these when this broadened, and then Romania became an issue.
And then following that, several days later, at the end of last week, we had this Estonian claims, it became clear that this was not a one-off, uh, the drones were not a one-off act by Ukraine to uh to engage uh Poland in a war.
It was something much bigger.
And it was being directed most likely from the West and most likely from Britain.
And the timing, let's look at this question of incursions.
The incursions, even Kallas said, Callus, the head of the foreign policy um commissioner of the and the vice president of the European Commission said that there were four Russian incursions over Estonian airspace this year.
Well, why wasn't the complaint made earlier?
And why was it made now?
The answer is Zapad 25, the military exercises that Russia was conducting uh um at the same time as the drone incursions and just ended just before the um the story of jet fighters over Estonian airspace.
This was the NATO response to Zapad 25 to start uh uh that hundred thousand Russian soldiers uh in operations from Murmansk to the southwest of the Russian Federation, uh, with a very big soft power impact on the 25 delegations from all over the world, including Iran, who were present as witnesses.
If MI-6 uh orchestrates this type of uh dirty tricks, and I don't mean to demean it by calling it dirty tricks.
It could have led to the loss of life.
It could have led to a uh a war.
Is CIA far behind?
Don't they work hand in glove?
Well, I think you have other panelists who are much more capable of uh much more experienced in judging what CIA can do.
I, as an outsider looking on, say that's doubtful.
After all, um, I think that Mr. Trump has some control over policy, even in the CIA.
And they would be much more cautious about something as inflammatory, as escalatory as what has gone on in the last week.
Whereas the whereas the MI6 knows no restraints.
Their boss is all in favor, is all sporting for a war.
Professor Doctor of fascinating stuff.
Thank you very much.
Welcome back home from your uh happy uh trip, and thank you very much for joining us.
We'll look forward as always to seeing you next week.
My pleasure.
Thank you again.
Coming up later today at 1 30 this afternoon, Aaron Mate.
Do you know that General Petraeus embraced somebody he once tried to kill, who was the head of the Taliban when Petraeus was leading the charge in Afghanistan?
We'll get into all of that.
And Pepe Escobar, what do President G and President Putin think of Trump's latest words, which I think are nonsense, and Professor Doctor O says are carefully calculated.
That's Pepe Escobar today at 3:30 this afternoon.
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