A candid moment at the White House is making headlines after President Trump was caught on a hot mic telling French President Emmanuel Macron that Russian President Vladimir Putin is eager to strike a deal — and specifically wants Trump involved.
“I think he wants to make a deal,” Trump said quietly before a high-profile meeting with European leaders in the East Room on Monday. Then came the surprising follow-up: “I think he wants to make a deal for me. Do you understand that? As crazy as it sounds.”
The remark, quickly picked up by cameras, underscored Trump’s confidence that Putin is ready to negotiate as the war in Ukraine drags into its fourth year.
Trump didn’t stop there. In the same exchange, the president was overheard saying, “I’ll set up a trilat,” referencing a three-way meeting that would include himself, Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has floated the idea before, but this is the clearest sign yet that he sees himself at the center of a potential peace deal.
Later Monday night, Macron addressed the viral moment during an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker. The French leader called it “great news,” adding, “Your president is very confident about this capacity to get this deal done with President Putin, and it’s great.”
The development came just hours after Trump and Zelensky met face-to-face at the White House. Their Oval Office appearance marked a sharp contrast from their fiery February encounter, which ended in a shouting match broadcast live. This time, the tone was cooperative, with Trump signaling a strong push to pressure Putin into negotiations.
The White House buzzed with high-stakes diplomacy as seven prominent European leaders convened to strengthen Ukraine’s hand in upcoming talks, delivering a clear and united signal of support for a negotiated path to peace.
By Monday night, Trump announced he had already discussed plans with Putin to set up a meeting with Zelensky. In a Truth Social post, the president stated: “Once that meeting happens, we’ll follow up with a trilateral session — the two presidents and me. This marks an important early move toward ending a war that has dragged on for nearly four years.”
The off-the-cuff exchange has sparked a wave of speculation in Washington and beyond: Is Trump about to take center stage in ending the Russia-Ukraine war?