Trump sucks up to Putin with deplorable smear of Zelenskyy
Donald Trump has officially sided with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, blaming Ukraine for being invaded and calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” in a disturbing Truth Social post.
In the post on his social media site, Trump mocked Zelenskyy as a “modestly successful comedian” who “will never be able to settle” the war with Russia. Trump also sided with Putin’s demand that Ukraine hold elections, likely so that Putin can install a new leader who will surrender the war and let Russia take over the European nation.
“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump wrote. “In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do.”
First off, Zelenskyy is not a dictator, having been democratically elected in 2019.
But Putin sure is, having squashed all dissent in his country through threats of violence and persecution and holding sham elections to keep himself in power.
There have not been elections in Ukraine because Russia has destroyed large swaths of the country since invading it in 2022, making it impossible to hold an election.
According to the United Nations, 4 million Ukrainians are displaced within the country, and 6.8 million more have fled to other nations as the war rages on.
Even Republicans who usually kneel before Trump are against the idea of forcing Ukraine to have elections.
Trump toady Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said Russia wants Ukraine to have elections “because they want to meddle in them.”
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, a GOP member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in a post on X that “Putin is now asking for a new election in Ukraine, conducted in a specific manner that he can influence, so that he can install his puppet and accomplish that which he couldn’t militarily.”
Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska posted on X to remind people that “While Russia is demanding elections in Ukraine hoping for a leadership change, we should remind ourselves that Putin has murdered or exiled all his political rivals.”
And Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) wrote in a post on X that the Russian demand for elections in Ukraine is ridiculous.
“With respect to elections, of course Ukraine should have free and fair elections—but that demand coming from Putin and Russia is both comical and self-serving. Russia has continued to influence and interfere with elections throughout Eastern Europe and must not be allowed to install a Putin puppet and apologist simply to seize control from within,” Lawler said.
Of course, none of these GOP lawmakers criticized Trump—who is openly siding with a murderous dictator over an American ally. So it’s unclear what they will do to stop Trump from allowing Putin to take over a sovereign nation.
Since taking office in January, Trump said he has spoken to Putin directly.
In the aftermath of those conversations, Trump has taken Russia’s side, saying that his idea for ending the war is forcing Ukraine to surrender and let Putin encroach on Europe. Trump has also cut Ukraine out of the so-called “peace talks” he’s holding
This has forced Zelenskyy—who has tried to have a friendly relationship with Trump in order to save his nation—to criticize the American president, saying that Trump is “living in a disinformation space” and in a “circle of disinformation.”
Democrats, for their part, are clearly calling Trump out for his embrace of Russia over Ukraine.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s attacks on Zelenskyy are “disgusting after how this man has fought so hard and so valiantly.“
“It is shameful to hear the president repeat Putin’s propaganda while laying the groundwork for negotiations that favor Russia at Ukraine’s expense,” Schumer said, according to HuffPost’s Igor Bobic.
“If Trump abandons Europe and surrenders Ukraine to Putin, he will go down as the biggest loser of the 21st Century,” said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.
But given that Republicans control both chambers of Congress, it’s incumbent upon the GOP to stand up to Trump.
Ultimately, the speed with which Trump sided with Putin over Ukraine is yet more evidence that Trump is a Russian asset.