Overview

• On his podcast, Smith said Trump did not cause the Russia–Ukraine war and pointed instead to Democratic presidents in office at key moments.
• He cited Biden’s tenure during the 2022 invasion, Obama during Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, and Clinton’s role in Ukraine’s 1994 nuclear disarmament deal.
• Smith insisted that the United States must honor commitments to Ukraine, saying promises made to Ukrainians should be kept.
• In a Fox News interview, he praised President Trump’s peace push and said it deserves credit for serious engagement on global conflicts.
• In a separate TV appearance, he faulted Trump for failing to secure a cease-fire after the Alaska summit with Putin, as the White House announced a planned Putin–Zelenskyy meeting that could be followed by a trilateral session if needed.