Trump’s Ukraine rhetoric highlights intraparty GOP rift : NPR

Some Senate Republicans took difficulty Wednesday with President Trump’s escalating criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and his false assertion that Ukraine provoked the continuing battle with Russia, now in its third 12 months.

Trump’s “dictator” comment got here in a scathing publish on his TruthSocial social account, and adopted feedback by Zelenskyy earlier within the day that he “wish to see extra fact from the Trump staff.” 

The president’s feedback left a number of lawmakers seeking to dispel Russian speaking factors about how the battle started and who bore final duty. 

“We should keep in mind that the instigator of this battle was Russia,” mentioned Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “It was President Putin who launched an unprovoked assault on Ukraine.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who simply returned from an official go to to Ukraine, lauded Zelenskyy for preserving his nation collectively and placing up a more durable combat than Russia anticipated.

“I believe we should always give [Zelenskyy] a good quantity of credit score for that work,” he mentioned.

The response amongst Senate Republicans highlights a public intraparty rift with the president on a key White Home precedence, regardless that lawmakers have little energy to vary Trump’s thoughts about approving any extra funding for Ukraine, his private view of Zelenskyy or the rising chance of a peace deal that many lawmakers fear is extra prone to favor Russia’s pursuits.

The president holds super constitutional authority to conduct overseas coverage with little examine on that energy from Congress or anyplace else. An preliminary spherical of U.S.-Russia talks kicked off in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday — with out Ukraine on the desk.

Senators like Tillis expressed some concern that the president is taking a cozier method to Russian President Vladimir Putin, somebody who extra conservative protection hawks historically view as a direct menace to U.S. pursuits.

“Putin’s a assassin,” Tillis mentioned. “He is a really dangerous one who must be stopped. He’ll metastasize throughout Europe if we do not [stop him.]”

On the identical time Tillis, who’s up for re-election in 2026, prompt that Trump’s negotiating ways typically work for him and mentioned he is prepared to offer him the good thing about the doubt to attempt to finalize a deal that protects Ukraine.

“I am going to give him latitude for now, however on the finish of the day, Putin must be a loser and the Ukrainian folks should be the winners,” Tillis mentioned.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., echoed the view that Trump needs to be given room to barter, telling reporters the president is “a public negotiator and understands positioning and likes to melt his targets.”

Requested what he would inform Ukrainians following Trump’s strikes, Cramer mentioned: “Watch Donald Trump masterfully convey an finish to the battle in your nation and do not count on to get the whole lot you need and do not count on Vladimir Putin to get the whole lot he needs, however a everlasting peace which I believe virtually each Ukrainian needs.”

Whether or not or not Trump can dealer an finish to the battle is unlikely to have an effect on the truth that the GOP-controlled Congress has little urge for food for approving any extra overseas assist to assist Ukraine in its combat. All in, Congress has accepted about $175 billion that features direct army help to Ukraine and funds to rebuild the U.S. army stockpile.

Zelenskyy informed NBC in an interview that aired Sunday that it might be “very very tough” for Ukraine to outlive with out U.S. assist. “I do not need to give it some thought,” he mentioned. “Sure, we now have to consider it.”

Previous to Trump’s feedback, different prime Republicans have been already expressing concern with the president’s posture towards Russia. In the course of the Munich Safety Convention final week, Senate Armed Providers Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., criticized Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s declaration that Ukraine wouldn’t be supplied NATO membership as a part of any peace take care of Russia.

“There are good guys and dangerous guys on this battle, and the Russians are the dangerous guys,” Wicker mentioned throughout a programming interview hosted by Politico. “They invaded, opposite to virtually each worldwide legislation, and they need to be defeated. And Ukraine is entitled to the guarantees that the world made to it.”

Whereas former Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was – and stays – one of many loudest defenders of U.S. assist to Ukraine in Congress, his successor made clear Wednesday he’s taking a softer method.

“I believe what I am in help of is a peaceable end result and end in Ukraine, and I believe proper now the administration, the president and his staff are working to attain that,” Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., informed reporters. “And I believe proper now you have to give them some house.”

Requested about Trump’s characterization of Zelenskyy as a dictator, Thune responded: “The president speaks for himself.”

Deirdre Walsh and Lexie Schapitl contributed reporting.