--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't understand what the president's…" description: "\"I don't understand what the president's [Donald Trump] position is on Russia. But I can tell you what my position is on Russia: Russia is a great dange..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_alliances_i-don-t-understand-what-the-president-s_1462746.jpg" --- # I don't understand what the president's \[Donald Trump\]… ![“I don't understand what the president's [Donald Trump] position is on Russia. But I can tell you what my position is on Russia: Russia is a great danger to a lot of its neighbors, and [Vladimir] Putin has as one of his core objectives fracturing NATO, which is one of the greatest military…” quote by Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_alliances_i-don-t-understand-what-the-president-s_1462746.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_alliances_i-don-t-understand-what-the-president-s_1462746.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_alliances_i-don-t-understand-what-the-president-s_1462746.jpg) > “I don't understand what the president's \[Donald Trump\] position is on Russia. But I can tell you what my position is on Russia: Russia is a great danger to a lot of its neighbors, and \[Vladimir\] Putin has as one of his core objectives fracturing NATO, which is one of the greatest military alliances in the history of the world.” [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker asserts that Russia poses a significant threat to neighboring states and aims to weaken NATO, a key security alliance. **In simple terms:** Russia is dangerous and wants to break NATO. Key Takeaway Recognize and counter Russian aggression. Themes geopolitics security alliances Russia NATO Mood concerned analytical serious Type political strategic informative When to use this quote - policy analysis - defense planning - diplomatic negotiations - public discourse - media commentary Key Concepts strategic competition deterrence foreign policy Questions to Reflect On - How does NATO’s unity affect Russian strategy? - What alternative diplomatic approaches could reduce tension? A Different Perspective Russia may have other strategic goals beyond NATO fracturing, and internal politics can affect its actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Greatest military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-military/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-history/) ## Related quotes > [Russian hackers interfered in our elections, and we like penalized a few of them. Whatever they're doing underground, we don't know. 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The U.S. celebrates political dissent and the right for people to argue free from violence about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-political-dissent-the-u-s-celebrates/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ \[Vladimir\] Putin is an enemy of the free press. The U.S. celebrates free press. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-the-free-press-the-u-s-celebrates-free/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ Let's be clear: Has the U.S. ever made any mistakes? Of course.Is the U.S. at all like \[Vladimir\] Putin's regime? Not at all. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/let-s-be-clear-has-the-u-s-ever-made-any-mistakes-of-course-is-the-u/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ So \[Vladimir\] Putin is a mess. He's committed all sort of murderous thuggery, and I am opposed to the way Putin conducts himself in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/so-vladimir-putin-is-a-mess-he-s-committed-all-sort-of-murderous/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ The U.S. affirms freedom of speech.\[Vladimir\] Putin is no friend of freedom of speech. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-u-s-affirms-freedom-of-speech-vladimir-putin-is-no-friend-of/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) ## More by Benjamin E. Sasse > [I think I'm one of five people in the Senate who's never been a politician before. And now that I am a politician, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/i-think-i-m-one-of-five-people-in-the-senate-who-s-never-been-a/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [Once we affirm the goal of trying to make sure that you don't have jihadis infiltrating terrorist flows, we need to make sure we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/once-we-affirm-the-goal-of-trying-to-make-sure-that-you-don-t-have/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [Truth affirms freedom of speech. Putin is no friend of reli - freedom of speech. Putin is an enemy of freedom of religion. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/truth-affirms-freedom-of-speech-putin-is-no-friend-of-reli-freedom-of/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ The U.S. affirms freedom of speech.\[Vladimir\] Putin is no friend of freedom of speech. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-u-s-affirms-freedom-of-speech-vladimir-putin-is-no-friend-of/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [I don't think we do a great job in America any more of distinguishing between campaigns and governance. We live in an environment that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/i-don-t-think-we-do-a-great-job-in-america-any-more-of-distinguishing/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [The president is the president. And every American, regardless of who you voted for, if you voted for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Donald Duck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-president-is-the-president-and-every-american-regardless-of-who/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ Let's be clear: Has the U.S. ever made any mistakes? Of course.Is the U.S. at all like \[Vladimir\] Putin's regime? Not at all. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/let-s-be-clear-has-the-u-s-ever-made-any-mistakes-of-course-is-the-u/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ \[Vladimir\] Putin is an enemy of the free press. The U.S. celebrates free press. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-the-free-press-the-u-s-celebrates-free/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [The real number of the US' obligations, unfunded obligations that we're passing on to our future generates is more like $70 trillion to $75…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-real-number-of-the-us-obligations-unfunded-obligations-that-we-re/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [What happens in Senate fight club stays in Senate fight club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/what-happens-in-senate-fight-club-stays-in-senate-fight-club/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ \[Vladimir\] Putin is an enemy of political dissent. The U.S. celebrates political dissent and the right for people to argue free from violence about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-political-dissent-the-u-s-celebrates/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [While Admiral Neffenger is an impressive man, it is naive and dangerous to pretend installing one director can heal what ails TSA, the Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/while-admiral-neffenger-is-an-impressive-man-it-is-naive-and/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [People think if they voted for somebody, they should reflexively defend everything they do or say. And if you voted against somebody, you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/people-think-if-they-voted-for-somebody-they-should-reflexively/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [In the American constitutional system of three different branches, conflict - and I mean that peaceful, vigorous debate - it's a feature of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/in-the-american-constitutional-system-of-three-different-branches/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [D.C. is known as Hollywood for ugly people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/d-c-is-known-as-hollywood-for-ugly-people/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) [Explore all 24 Benjamin E. Sasse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) ## More Alliances quotes > [ \[U\]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together-and-on-alliances-of-self/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [Men since the beginning of time have sought peace...military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/men-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-sought-peace-military-alliances/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [The U.S. always needs an enemy. It comes and goes. Today it is Islam. 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To destroy this invisible government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/behind-the-ostensible-government-sits-enthroned-an-invisible/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Clearly, gay marriage is on the top of the agenda right now. It's pretty amazing, considering where stuff was at when I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/clearly-gay-marriage-is-on-the-top-of-the-agenda-right-now-it-s/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [America must always be the world's paramount military power, but we can magnify our power through alliances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/america-must-always-be-the-world-s-paramount-military-power-but-we/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [In 1491 the Inka ruled the greatest empire on earth. 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