Donald Trump, who utilized a strong projection of power against Putin in his campaign, has now done the opposite: he falsely blamed Ukraine for beginning the war with Russia and abruptly veered away from a decades-old precedent of support for Europe, an alliance dating back to the Second World War.
In fact, Trump’s own Republican colleagues rebuked him over his nonsensical and unfounded comments. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) asserted Trump needed a “do-over day,” adding that “many Republicans […] know what the President said today was wrong.”
Rep. Bacon was not alone however, in his censure of Trump. Residents of the US state of Wisconsin reprimanded their local Republican Congressmen over a multitude of issues pertaining to the US’s democratic processes, including the removal of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies across the nation and the alleged despotic involvement of South African multi-billionaire Elon Musk in the US executive branch.
The sheer hypocrisy of the President was evident in his characterization of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator,” as Trump misled the public to think Ukrainian elections were suspended under martial law because Zelenskyy wanted to establish an autocratic state. He also plainly lied, stating Zelenskyy’s approval ratings are down to 4%. This unfounded, made-up figure is grossly deviant from the truth, as Zelenskyy is up to a rating of >50%.
74% of Ukrainians characterize their president as a patriot, and 73% as a tactful and adept leader.
Contrary to Ukraine however, the United States has expressed sharp disapproval for their president, with Trump’s polls being down anywhere from around 5-13%.
Zelenskyy also did not allow this fraudulent and unprecedented delineation to exist without response, replying that he “would like to see more truth from the Trump team” and “we understand [the disinformation] comes from Russia […] he lives in this disinformation space.”
Zelenskyy called for the American people to re-evaluate their trust of Trump.
Even Trump’s former vice president, and former Indiana governor Mike Pence added that “Ukraine did not ‘start’ this war,” and that “The Road to Peace must be built on Truth.”
These powerful words are extremely relevant in the context of the American political condition, which is strained to say the least. A divided populace and divided government plagues the country, but not just on one party division as usual. Now it seems even Republicans are starting to voice their disagreement with the president they elected, as factions emerge in the most successful party in American political history.
For Americans and citizens of a globalized world, the future is uncertain regarding Ukraine. However, what is certain is that the processes of democracy will reign supreme, and people around the world can affirm their trust in the systems of government that have ensured the protection of their liberties in the past. The United States has previously corrected lingering issues in its government and it is not unrealistic to expect the same despite implications for a monarchy by Trump.
For citizens of a globalized world, their trust in the American people should remain resolute, as America in the past has supported its allies and many Americans aim to continue that tradition, even if certain governmental figures attempt to deviate from this precedent.
Written by Eshan Korat
