Donald Trump is rewriting the narrative on the Ukraine war, but even in the US, his latest remarks are facing backlash from conservative allies.
Secret talks with Putin’s delegation
This week, the US president bypassed Ukraine and all of Europe, reportedly negotiating a possible war settlement with a Russian delegation close to Vladimir Putin.
But that wasn’t the most shocking move. Trump then blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a dictator responsible for starting a war he could never win while draining 350 billion dollars from the US.
New York Post slams Trump’s Ukraine demands
The typically Trump-friendly New York Post fired back, outraged by a reported demand that Ukraine hand over half of its national revenue to the US. According to the alleged proposal, Ukraine would permanently surrender a share of its profits from rare earth minerals, oil, and gas exports to Washington.
The Post argued this would amount to hundreds of billions, far more than Kyiv ever received from the US, even exceeding Germany’s reparations after World War I.
Fact-checking Trump’s claims
Trump’s claim that Ukraine has received 350 billion dollars in US aid was also called out as wildly exaggerated. The actual figures stand at:
- 67 billion dollars in direct military aid
- 31 billion dollars in civilian assistance
This totals 98 billion dollars, far from Trump’s claim.
Reagan-era Republicans call Trump’s shift dangerous
Trump’s sudden pro-Putin tone has drawn outrage from Republicans who helped shape US policy during the Cold War. Many warn that Trump is reversing decades of US foreign policy and undermining NATO.
Ken Adelman, a former UN ambassador under Reagan, blasted Trump’s stance, comparing it to Reagan’s famous demand to tear down this wall, Mr. Gorbachev. Instead, under Trump, Adelman said, the new message seems to be do whatever you want, Mr. Putin.
Critics warn of NATO collapse
Bill Kristol, a veteran of the Reagan and Bush administrations, argued that Trump is risking 80 years of European stability.
NATO and America’s commitment to Europe have kept the peace for decades. Throwing that away just to get along with Putin is reckless and foolish, Kristol said.
Liz Cheney and John Bolton pile on
Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney didn’t hold back, declaring that Trump’s devotion to Putin, betrayal of Ukraine, and lies about history make him the opposite of everything Reagan stood for.
Meanwhile, Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton accused him of already surrendering to Putin in peace talks.
GOP infighting: will there be a rebellion?
Trump’s stance has sent shockwaves through the Republican Party, but will it lead to a full-blown revolt? So far, conservatives are rumbling, but whether they turn against Trump remains to be seen.
