Donald Trump caught on hot mic revealing what he really thinks of Putin

During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, President Donald Trump gave a strong indication of how he envisions the conflict moving forward.

Before the main talks even began, Trump was overheard on a live microphone speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron. According to reporters present, he remarked, “I think Putin wants to make a deal for me. Do you understand? As crazy as it sounds.” The comment, caught on what’s being described as a “hot mic,” gave a rare glimpse into his private thoughts on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This moment came just after Trump had welcomed Putin to a summit in Alaska, which raised fresh questions about how closely aligned Washington’s position might be with Moscow’s.

Later, in the Oval Office alongside Zelensky, Trump was asked directly whether he would rule out sending U.S. troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping arrangement. He did not dismiss the idea. Instead, he suggested that troop involvement could be part of the talks happening with European leaders that same day. “When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help,” Trump said, hinting at a “NATO-like” security framework involving European nations.

The White House meeting also touched on other sticking points. Earlier in the day, Trump had posted on Truth Social outlining demands for Ukraine that mirrored several of Moscow’s conditions. These included setting aside NATO membership and not pursuing the return of Crimea. That post had fueled skepticism ahead of the meeting.

Despite those tensions, the conversation between Trump and Zelensky was calmer than their previous Washington encounter, which had been marred by clashes and sharp disagreements. Both leaders expressed willingness to consider a three-way summit with Putin.

When asked whether this might be the “end of the road” for U.S. support if no agreement is reached, Trump rejected the idea. “People are being killed and we want to stop that. So I would not say it’s the end of the road,” he said. He also emphasized that he believed there was a “good chance” the conflict could be ended through ongoing negotiations.

Trump even suggested he would be speaking with Putin again as soon as that day’s meetings wrapped up.