Few members of the world stage are talked about quite as much as American president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin. Both leaders preside over some of the largest countries on earth and hold tremendous power on the world stage. It’s easy to see ways in which they are similar, and lump them together, but there are many ways in which they differ. Both leaders are at the forefront of global politics. With the United States being the world’s sole superpower, it makes sense that Trump’s name is brought up constantly, whether in talks about China, the European Union or the Middle East, the United States is heavily integrated into global politics. Putin and his Russia also play a major role on the world stage, oftentimes in opposition to US interests.
Vladimir Putin has a long history of political experience in Russia. After a career as an officer in the KGB, he got into local politics in his home of Saint Petersburg. He was picked as prime minister to Boris Yeltsin in 1999 and later became acting president after Yeltsin resigned. He ran for president after and won, remaining in power ever since, currently serving his fourth term as president with one term as prime minister. As president, Putin was charged with bringing a post-Soviet Union Russia back to global relevance. One of the world’s most polarizing leaders, many praise Putin for stabilizing Russia and bringing it back to global relevance after a tumultuous period following the fall of the Soviet Union. Many others have criticized his rule as autocratic and have referred to him as a dictator.
Donald Trump did not have the kind of military or political experience that someone like Putin had before he became president. Trump’s experience was in business and real estate, inheriting the family business and expanding it into a multinational real estate empire with the “Trump” name appearing on buildings throughout the world. While Donald Trump did not have the political experience that Putin had, he nevertheless was able to win the presidency in 2016, defeating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. He is currently running for reelection, with the November 2020 election determining if his term as president will end or be extended for four more years.
Though it is difficult to compare two countries with vastly different political systems, cultures and histories, there are clear differences between the two styles of leadership from the American and Russian leaders, starting with their personalities. Putin is typically more reserved and calm, more calculated than his American counterpart who often comes across as bombastic, with many instances of him resorting to name calling and inflammatory remarks over social media. This may be a result of Putin’s many years in politics on the world stage, as opposed to Trump who had never held office until his election in 2016.
Their Foreign Policy Differences
One of the key differences between the two lies in their foreign policy. US interests often find themselves in opposition to Russian interests. While the US ramps up its trade war with China, Russia and China continue to increase their cooperation as members of the BRICS alliance. Military involvement in Syria has nearly caused confrontation between the two countries as the USA supports the rebels operating in the country while Russia supports President Bashar al-Assad. In regards to their political alliances, the US remains a member of NATO, despite President Trump’s calls to remove the US from the organization due to what he perceives as lack of effort and funding by other member countries. Putin has repeatedly criticized NATO for creeping toward Russia as more members join the organization. As the US continues its cooperation with the European Union, Russia works with the Eurasian Economic Union, comprised of many former Soviet states. While Trump’s USA increases sanctions on Russia and its partners, Russia continually finds itself allying closer and closer with countries the US sees as problematic such as Syria, Iran, China, North Korea and Venezuela.
Trump made it clear since before he was even elected that he intended to follow an “America First” policy, and as a result has withdrawn the United States from several international organizations and treaties that he felt were not beneficial or taking advantage of the United States. During his presidency, the US has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the UN Human Rights Council, the World Health Organization, the Iran Nuclear Agreement as well as others. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO and expressed interest in removing the US from the organization. Putin’s Russia knows the importance of international cooperation, especially as a result of sanctions by the United States, the European Union and others. While the US sees China as an opponent, Russia sees them as a partner.
While both countries have long histories of foreign military involvement, Trump’s approach has been different from his predecessor, Obama. Trump has ordered the withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan, as well as expressing interest in removing US military bases in Germany. Putin is no stranger to Russian military involvement in other countries. Most notably, Russia was involved in the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine as well as its role in the Ukrainian civil war which drew the ire of the international community. Russian military involvement in Georgia and Syria also occurred while Putin was either president or prime minister of Russia. Trump’s stances on military intervention have won him the praise of many as well as the condemnation of others.
Dealing with the Press
One of the major differences between the two leaders is how both Trump and Putin have dealt with the press and media. Trump lashing out at media outlets is a common occurrence, with news outlets such as CNN receiving the most ire. Trump has expressed his disdain with mainstream media, which he has often referred to as “Lame Stream Media”. Accusations of being “fake news” have been common during his time in office. Despite his attacks on media outlets, the United States does not have a state run media outlet and is ranked as a “free” country when it comes to freedom of speech. Putin’s Russia has tight control over the media, with numerous state run media outlets. Russia has repeatedly been accused of being unfree with censorship of journalists and the internet. Accusations of Putin silencing and even having journalists assassinated have occurred throughout his years in power. Among the most notable is the death of journalist Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko, who was extremely critical of Putin, was poisoned while residing in the United Kingdom. Numerous investigations have accused Putin and those close to him of ordering the assassination. Censorship in Russia has been a hotly debated topic during Putin’s many years in power.
Both Trump and Putin hold great power when it comes to international politics, but similarities beyond being the elected officials of their country are far fewer than the differences between the two and their leadership styles. While Trump may have no issue being loud and even abrasive as he calls out a political opponent, Putin would be calm and controlled, as he has been dating back decades to his time as a member of the KGB. What is certain is that both are at the forefront of global politics. With 2020 being an election year in the US, it remains to be seen if we’re seeing the end of Trump’s time in power, or if we’re only halfway through.
