‘A Sad Moment in American History’: Democrats, Republicans Assail Ukraine Remarks
Trump makes number of inaccurate claims about Russian aggression
In a rare show of bipartisan agreement, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers condemned remarks Donald Trump made about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as false claims about the president of Ukraine.
Trump inaccurately claimed that Ukraine started the war that began in 2022, and referred to Ukraine’s democratically elected leader as a “dictator.”
The truth is that it was Russian leader Vladimir Putin who ordered the full-scale invasion of the independent Ukraine. Not only has Putin ordered attacks on civilian targets during the brutal war, but also ordered the kidnapping of Ukrainian children to be sent to Russian “reeducation camps.”
Further, not only was Ukraine’s president, Volodymr Zelenskyy, fairly and democratically elected, he has led his people through the ongoing war.
With the steadfast support of the Biden administration, Ukraine has defended itself against the Russian aggression for three years, but now with Putin ally Trump in office, US and Russian officials are negotiating an end to the war — but without any participation by the Ukrainian government.
Democrats and Republicans are having none of Trump’s false rewriting of history, with CNN host Anderson Cooper saying that Trump only is echoing Putin’s own false talking points.
“Yesterday, we witnessed an extremely sad moment in American history,” said Sen Bernie Sanders, the progressive Vermont independent. “We saw the president of the United States aligning himself with the dictator of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to undermine the independence of Ukraine and its democracy.”
The outspoken, two-time presidential hopeful was hardly the only lawmaker on Capitol Hill to condemn Trump’s remarks.
“Imagine if during World War II FDR had said to [British Prime Minister Winston] Churchill and our other allies, ‘Hey, we’re no longer going to support you in the fight against fascism, Nazis and Hitler unless you sign over now half of your natural resources.’ Mr. President, this is a shameful moment for the United States,” said Sen Chris Van Hollen (D-Md). “We have stood up for freedom. We have stood up for democracy. We have stood up for the rule of law. And now President Trump is throwing Ukraine and freedom-loving people around the world under the bus.”
It wasn’t only Democrats speaking out in favor of Ukraine.
Republicans also spoke out, although often in more-muted tones.
“Well, I, like I said, the president speaks for himself,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota. “What I want to see is a peaceful result, a peaceful outcome. And I think right now there’s a negotiation going on. And let’s see where that ultimately leads. Hopefully, we’ll get to the outcome we all want to see.”
Thune insisted that Ukraine and its European allies be brought into the negotiations.
Rep Don Bacon (R-Neb) criticized Trump’s remarks in fairly strong terms.
“Well, the president needs a do-over day and start again. He took a bad turn. I think what he said is wrong, and I just — and it’s a shame,” he said. “I think many Republicans — I’m not saying all, but many Republicans — know what the president said today was wrong.
“Putin started this invasion. He is the dictator. He has killed all of his opponents. Zelenskyy was rightfully elected. He is under martial law, and they have under the Constitution that they can postpone their elections while under martial law,” Bacon added. “Ukraine is the victim. And I would ask that our president stand on the side of freedom, the side of democracy, the side of the victim, not the invader, and stick up for what’s right. And so, I want to be very strong in my words today because this Republican does not agree with what the president said.”
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