Trump news – live: State Department has ‘no words’ after ex-president praises Putin’s attack on Ukraine
Oliver O'Connell
,
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
,
Sravasti Dasgupta
Ad trolls Trump over January 6 committee developments
As Vladimir Putin attacks Ukraine with ground forces and airstrikes, a State Department spokesperson said he had “no words” in response to praise for the Russian autocrat from Donald Trump.
Twice in two days, the former president has hailed Mr Putin as “smart” and blamed Joe Biden for what is happening.
“He [Mr Putin] was going to be satisfied with a piece and now he sees the weakness and the incompetence and the stupidity of this administration,” Mr Trump said while speaking with Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham. “As an American I am angry about it and I am saddened by it. And it all happened because of a rigged election.”
In another video clip from Wednesday night that was circulated on social media, Mr Trump can be heard saying: “Trump said Putin is smart. He’s taken over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Trump hailed Mr Putin as “savvy” and called his move on Ukraine “genius”.
Recommended
- Confused Trump believes US has invaded Ukraine in Fox call-in
- Trump under fire for Fox News appearance moments after Putin declares war on Ukraine
- Trump lawyer linked to ‘coup memo’ reveals he started advising ex-president two months before election
KEY POINTS
- Trump insists Ukraine crisis would not have happened while he was president
- Truth Social goes live - but many users report being stuck on waiting list
- Trump’s days are ‘numbered,’ Glen Kirschner says
- Confused Trump believes US has invaded Ukraine in Fox call-in
- Former US President Donald Trump appeared to be under the impression that the US had invaded Ukraine during an exchange with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Bashing President Joe Biden for his handling of the crisis, Mr Trump and Ms Ingraham discussed the invasion, with Ms Ingraham repeating a report about an amphibious landing in Odessa, which Mr Trump appeared to think was a reference to US troops.
Harriet Sinclair reports.
Confused Trump believes US has invaded Ukraine in Fox call-in
‘You told me about the amphibious attack by Americans’
Oliver O'Connell24 February 2022 17:58
47 minutes ago
Romney says he was right about Russia in 2012 and mocks Obama
Former 2012 Republican presidential nominee and Utah Sen Mitt Romney had a simple message as Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine: I was right and Democrats were wrong.
In 2012, Mr Romney, who was running against President Barack Obama, criticised his Democratic opponent for being caught on a hot mic telling then Russian president Dmitry Medvedev that after the 2012 election, he would have more “flexibility” to negotiate on missile defence.
“This is to Russia, this is without question, our number one geopolitical foe,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at the time. “They fight every cause for the world’s worst actors.”
Eric Garcia reports.
Romney says he was right about Russia in 2012 and mocks Obama putdown
Former Republican presidential nominee said in 2012 that Russia was ‘our number one geopolitical foe’
Oliver O'Connell24 February 2022 17:30
1 hour ago
Alexander Vindman likens Tucker Carlson to WWII propagandists Tokyo Rose in Twitter spat
A figure who rose to prominence in Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial is lashing out at Fox News host Tucker Carlson after the latter name-checked him during a segment on Ukraine and Russia.
Lt Col Alexander Vindman tore into the Fox host in a pair of tweets that furiously accused Carlson of trying to weaken the US and the west while spreading pro-Russian propaganda.
John Bowden reports.
Alexander Vindman likens Tucker Carlson to WWII propagandists in Twitter spat
Impeachment figure fires back after Fox host mentions him by name
Oliver O'Connell24 February 2022 17:00
1 hour ago
Is McCarthy breaking with Trump on Ukraine?
Kevin McCarthy has issued a statement condemning the invasion of Ukraine and insisting that “Putin must be held accountable for his actions”. It makes a stark contrast with Donald Trump’s description of Mr Putin’s claiming of Donbas and Luhansk as a “genius move”.
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 16:38
1 hour ago
Giuliani rates Putin above Biden
Sometime Trump attorney and leading election fraud conspiracy theorist Rudy Giuliani has offered his two cents on the difference between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, and it’s perhaps not surprising which of the two he rates more highly.
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 16:20
2 hours ago
CPAC chairman: conference will go ahead as planned
Matt Schlapp, head of the American Conservative Union, says that the annual CPAC conference beginning in Florida today will be going ahead without changing its agenda despite the Russian attack on Ukraine.
As Andrew Feinberg reports from Orlando:
[Mr Schlapp] said the programming for the group’s yearly confab, which is organised around the theme “Awake not Woke,” already has a strong foreign policy focus, with a number of “very prominent” speakers such as former Director of National Intelligence Richard Grinnell, ex-Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and other former Trump administration officials.
“That doesn’t even get into the elected officials who are here,” he said, adding later that he expects “every one” of the panels featuring ex-Trump national security officials to address “what’s going on with Putin and Ukraine”.
Read the story below.
CPAC agenda not changing despite Russia invading Ukraine
Schlapp says conference already has a sufficient foreign policy programme because of the ‘very prominent’ ex-Trump administration officials who are set to speak
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 16:01
3 hours ago
Biden to speak on Ukraine
The White House has confirmed Joe Biden will address the nation on Ukraine in just over two hours’ time.
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 15:13
3 hours ago
Biden to speak on Ukraine
The White House has confirmed Joe Biden will address the nation on Ukraine in just over two hours’ time.
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 15:13
3 hours ago
ICYMI: Ivanka Trump talking to Jan 6 committee
Reports say that rather than flat-out refusing to cooperate as some of her father’s allies have done, Ivanka Trump is engaging with the select committee investigating the 6 January attack. Depending what information she chose to share and under what conditions, her participation would be a major breakthrough for the committee as various Trump allies essentially try to freeze it out.
Ivanka Trump in talks to cooperate with Jan 6 investigation
Testimony from ex-president’s daughter would mark major advance for congressional inquiry
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 14:35
4 hours ago
Analyst: GOP reaction to Ukraine invasion has roots in 2016
As much of the pro-Trump right either minimizes or almost approves of the Ukrainian invasion, journalist and historian Garrett M. Graff writes that the realignment of the GOP away from orthodox US internationalism began several years ago...
Here’s an AP deep dive into how the Republican Party’s new generation took their movement in a different direction.
Andrew Naughtie24 February 2022 14:05
Newer
1
/ 7
Older
More aboutFloridaCongressJoe BidenUkraineVladimir PutinFox NewsDonald Trump
Join our new commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
Promoted stories
Sponsored
Get LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Now
Criminals can open new accounts, get payday loans, and even file tax returns in your name. Don’t wait to get identity theft protection.
LIFELOCK
|
Sponsored
| |
