A GOP lawmaker who has criticized President Trump over his handling of the Russia-Ukraine war said only half of Trump’s recent public remarks blasting Russian President Vladimir Putin are “perfect,” while calling the rest “dumb.”
GOP Rep. Don Bacon (Neb.) faulted Trump for spending some time not criticizing Putin, but slamming Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The first half of this message is perfect, the rest is dumb. Trump is attacking President Zelensky while Putin bombs Ukrainian cities and it is misguided,” Bacon told Fox News.
Bacon, who represents a swing district in Nebraska, said the president is sending mixed signals.
“Moral ambiguity while one nation invades another is hurting Trump’s credibility. Putin is making a mockery of Trump, and Trump keeps attacking [Volodymyr] Zelensky,” he said.
Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Ukraine over the weekend that killed a dozen people, less than a week after a two-hour phone call between Putin and Trump, who pledged to end the war.
The president called Putin “crazy” on Sunday for unleashing bombs in Ukraine showcasing a shift in the relationship with his counterpart.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,” Trump wrote.
“I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia,” he added.
In a Truth Social post later Sunday evening, Trump also said Zelensky’s public comments were not helpful while criticizing the Ukrainian leader.
Bacon has long encouraged Trump administration officials to have “moral clarity” on who started the war and urged them against “rewarding the invader.”
Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 after taking over the Crimea region of that country nearly a decade earlier.
Trump and Zelensky, though embattled at a February Oval Office meeting, have agreed to a critical minerals deal that is expected to solidify support from the U.S. on the frontlines.
