(NewsNation) — Stephen A. Smith believes President Trump was too bold in his talking points surrounding Ukraine and Russia before returning to the White House.
Smith joined “CUOMO” to discuss Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, three days after the U.S. president met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Trump has attempted to play peacemaker between Russia and Ukraine, despite insisting he would end the war in a single day in the lead-up to November’s presidential election.
“The reality is, and excuse my language, he opened his mouth and deposited checks his a** can’t cash,” Smith told “CUOMO” on Monday.
Trump calls Putin after Zelenskyy meeting at White House
“That’s really what it comes down to. You got to be able to end this war. You talked a lot of stuff about ending this war and how you would end it in one day. Now, we recognize that that’s hyperbole. We understand that something like that is not going to end in one day.
“But the flip side is that he was proclaiming that he had such a relationship, you know, with the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, that you know what he could get him to do, what others couldn’t do.”
Meeting was ‘good day’ for Putin
Smith added that his frustration centers on the lack of an imminent ceasefire deal and Trump’s failure to follow through on his insistence that there would be consequences if hostilities were not curbed.
“It was a pretty damn good day for Putin, as far as we can tell, a good day for an authoritarian leader. How’s that a good day for us?” Smith said of the pair’s meeting Friday.
Zelesnkyy questions shows selfishness
During Monday’s appearance at the White House, Zelenskyy was jokingly congratulated for wearing a suit, the lack of which he was critiqued for during his last visit to the White House.
“We care more about us than we give a damn about people who are dying in Ukraine, some of us anyway,” Smith said.
“You’re more concerned about what this man is wearing, as opposed to what he’s experiencing on a day-to-day basis because of a war that was instigated by Russia. And when you ignore what’s going on in his nation, to focus on something so frivolous, so trivial, it’s a problem.”
Smith said the interaction showcased “where [America’s] priorities lie” and that as a nation, Americans forget what Zelenskyy and his people are going through.”
