Donald Trump has walked back his own reaction to Russia’s claim that Ukraine tried to hit Vladimir Putin’s residence, marking a sharp reversal just days after he said the alleged attack made him “very angry”.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump downplayed the incident, saying US officials saw no evidence that Putin’s home had been deliberately targeted. According to Trump, while “something happened nearby”, it didn’t amount to the kind of strike Moscow had described.
“I don’t believe that strike happened,” he said, directly contradicting both earlier Russian statements and his own previous reaction.
The shift matters. Last week, Trump appeared to accept Russia’s version of events, responding with visible frustration to reports that Ukraine had launched a drone attack at Putin’s residence. Those reports originated with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who claimed Ukraine fired a wave of drones at the president’s residence in the northwestern Novgorod region.
European officials were quick to cast doubt on Moscow’s account, suggesting the allegation was designed to muddy the waters as international efforts to push toward peace continue. Trump’s latest comments line up more closely with that view, signaling skepticism toward a claim he initially seemed to take at face value.
The backpedal comes as fighting grinds on into the new year with no sign of easing. Ukraine recorded its first civilian death of 2026 in the early hours of Monday, underscoring how quickly the human cost has returned after the calendar flipped.
Russia, meanwhile, is accusing Ukraine of escalating attacks on its capital. The Russian defence ministry claims Kyiv has targeted Moscow with drones every day of 2026 so far, calling it a step up from what it describes as earlier, sporadic strikes.
Watch Trump’s remarks below:
