Exclusive:
Prominent Republicans have called out their leader Donald Trump after he labelled Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky a ‘dictator’ yet again
Donald Trump’s latest betrayal of Ukraine is so appalling that even his most loyal Republican allies are refusing to defend him.
His reckless disregard for facts, his cosying up to Vladimir Putin, and his outright revisionist history have left many in his own party shaking their heads in disbelief. Trump’s claim that Ukraine “started the war” is not just a lie- it’s an insult to a nation fighting for its survival. It’s a blatant distortion of reality designed to give cover to Putin’s brutal aggression.
Even Republicans, who usually bow to Trump’s every whim, are publicly pushing back against this nonsense. Among the most vocal critics is Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, who didn’t mince words. “Here’s where I disagree with the White House,” Kennedy said. “To the extent that the White House said that Ukraine started the war. I disagree. I think Vladimir Putin started the war. I also believe, through bitter experience, that Vladimir Putin is a gangster. He’s a gangster with a black heart. He makes Jeffrey Dahmer look like Mother Teresa. He has Stalin’s taste for blood.”
Kennedy is not alone. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who just returned from Ukraine ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, also rebuked Trump’s revisionist history. “Make no mistake about it, that invasion was the responsibility of one human being on the face of this planet. It was Vladimir Putin in a calculation to go through Ukraine and not stop there, to go through Moldova, to go through the Balkans, to ultimately go to the Baltic states and send the signal to China that now is the time that they can take action in the South China Sea. That’s what this is about, and that’s what we as members have to communicate.”
Tillis’ words expose the real danger of Trump’s rhetoric. By falsely blaming Ukraine, Trump is not only betraying an ally but also emboldening Putin to continue his imperial ambitions.
If Ukraine falls, Moldova could follow. The Balkans and Baltic states could too. The signal to China that the US will not stand firm against aggression is loud and clear. Trump’s comments are not just another example of his reckless, fact-free approach to global affairs. They are a calculated move to rewrite history in favour of a dictator who has repeatedly shown his willingness to kill, imprison, and torture his opponents.
In doing so, Trump is undermining the very principles America has stood for since World War II: the defence of democracy against tyranny. But this time, even Republicans who have spent years defending Trump are unwilling to follow him down this path. That alone should tell Americans everything they need to know about just how dangerous his position is.
The world is watching. Ukraine is fighting for its very existence. And instead of standing firm against Putin’s aggression, Trump is giving him exactly what he wants: division within the US government and uncertainty about America’s commitment to its allies. For years, Trump has excused and defended Putin’s actions, from election interference to poisoning political dissidents.
But this time, his betrayal of Ukraine has crossed a line even his most ardent supporters cannot stomach. The question now is whether the Republican Party will finally break free from Trump’s toxic grip or if, once again, they will fall in line.
Because make no mistake: this isn’t just about Ukraine. It’s about whether the States still has the moral clarity to stand up to tyrants or if it will sell out its allies at the whim of a man who has always put his own interests above all else.
