Putin editorial embarrasses US: Trump

Vladimir Putin's New York Times editorial admonishing the U.S. to abide by the United Nations' authority was "amazingly well-written" and shows the Russian president "wants to become the world leader, and he's doing that," celebrity business magnate Donald Trump said Thursday.

"He's really embarrassing the U.S. and he's embarrassing the president," Trump told CNBC's "Closing Bell."

(Read more: Donald Trump is hammering New York AG over lawsuit)

The star of "Celebrity Apprentice" said that at the same time Putin is humiliating President Barack Obama, he is also throwing him a lifeline by providing an alternative to launching an unpopular military strike on Syria.

"Three days ago, nobody, including Congress, wanted to attack ... and start another mess like we've made in Iraq and many other places," he said.

The letter sets up Putin as the professor and Obama as the schoolchild, Trump said.

(Read more: Putin on the Ritz? Russian said to have billions)

"It makes the president look very weak and very ineffective. Frankly, it makes it look like he doesn't know what he's doing," he said. "It's not good for this country or for this president."

—By CNBC's Matt Twomey. Follow him on Twitter @Matt_Twomey.