Donald Trump Jr. suggested on Sunday that President Donald Trump may be prepared to “walk away” from Ukraine if Kyiv does not advance toward a peace deal with Russia, sharpening speculation over Washington’s long-term commitment to the war effort.
Speaking at the Doha Forum, a major international gathering, Trump Jr. repeatedly emphasized what he described as deep-rooted corruption in Ukraine, arguing that graft in both Kyiv and Moscow continues to fuel the conflict.
Trump Jr. also directed criticism at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is facing political turbulence due to a corruption probe that recently led to the resignation of top aide Andriy Yermak, a key figure in Ukraine’s diplomatic negotiations. Zelenskyy himself has not been accused of corruption.
According to Trump Jr., the war has elevated Zelenskyy’s global image to the point where, he claimed, the Ukrainian leader became “a borderline deity … beyond reproach.”
When asked directly whether President Trump might withdraw U.S. support for Ukraine, Trump Jr. replied: “I think he may.”
He defended the president’s unpredictability, saying it forces global actors to engage more “intellectually honestly”:
“You don’t know what he’s going to do… The fact that he’s not predictable forces everyone to deal honestly.”
President Trump has long had a contentious relationship with Kyiv and has frequently adopted a sympathetic tone toward Russia and President Vladimir Putin. The Trump administration has been pressing both sides to accept a peace framework — with little progress so far.
“We want peace. We want to stop the death,” Trump Jr. said.
On other foreign-policy matters, Trump Jr. defended his father’s military strikes against drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, arguing that drug cartels pose a “far greater clear and present danger to the United States than anything going on in Ukraine and Russia.”
Trump Jr. appeared on stage alongside his business partner Omeed Malik, co-founder of 1789 Capital. When asked whether President Trump would seek a third term — an action prohibited by the U.S. Constitution — he laughed, calling his father’s refusal to rule it out “trolling” meant to provoke political opponents.
Critics argue that Trump Jr.’s accusations of Ukrainian corruption are likely to inflame tensions with Democrats and Ukraine supporters, many of whom accuse the Trump family of profiting from political influence, including expanding business ties in Qatar.
The Trump-Qatar relationship came under scrutiny earlier this year when Qatar gifted the administration a luxury Boeing 747, later retrofitted as the new Air Force One. The Trump family also has plans to develop a luxury golf resort in Qatar.
Trump Jr., who has hinted at political ambitions of his own, did not rule out a future presidential run, saying earlier this year at the Qatar Economic Forum: “Maybe one day.”
