Since Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent invasion of Ukraine, Republicans have scrambled to insist Putin would've never escalated tensions between the independent democratic nation that broke from the U.S.S.R. in 1991 if former Republican President Donald Trump was still in the White House.
However, Trump was widely criticized for being soft on Putin and apathetic towards Ukraine when he was in office.
In a joint press conference in Helsinki back in 2018, Trump infamously sided with Putin over the findings of U.S. intelligence officials, suggesting he believed Putin's lie Russia didn't seek to interfere in the 2016 election to boost Trump's candidacy.
Trump was slapped with his second impeachment the next year for delaying congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine—aid which he leveraged to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into opening investigations into Joe Biden and his family. Biden was the leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination at the time.
Even in the days and hours leading up to Putin's invasion, Trump praised the authoritarian leader's strategy as "smart" and even "genius."
That didn't stop the former President's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., from insisting Trump would be better equipped than Biden to lead an upcoming emergency meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries in responding to the delicate diplomatic situation.
Sending Biden to Europe for “High Stakes” NATO talks will only embolden our enemies further.
If you want to get something done right send Trump.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 16, 2022
Trump Jr. baselessly claimed Biden's presence in NATO talks would "only embolden our enemies further."
Social media users weren't shy in their disagreement.
Send Trump ?!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣pic.twitter.com/N46alGeDk6 https://t.co/UjgN6lBlQN
— The Clear Cider (@TheClearCider) March 16, 2022
Is this a joke? https://t.co/xfopRf6Bb2
— 🎹Johnny stands with Ukraine🇺🇦 (@PianoGeek420) March 16, 2022
Ignorance is bliss.
Willful ignorance is refusal to see the facts before you.
So, is Jr just ignorant, or willfully ignorant?#Fresh#DemVoice1#ONEV1 https://t.co/BnEAIZqyBo
— Robert Stabell- I stand with Ukraine. 🇺🇦 (@bstabell) March 16, 2022
Donald Trump Jr is just as dumb as his father. https://t.co/yke09wuF4v
— The Chanteezy For Real ♉️ (@iamchanteezy) March 16, 2022
Your dad thought Finland was part of Russia. Sit down, Bateman. https://t.co/9yhNN9rc5I
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) March 16, 2022
Naw fool. Your father is Putin’s ally and wanted America to get out of NATO. He tried to break it up. https://t.co/s0hDLD0R9T
— D kill (@Moni1on1) March 16, 2022
Some cited Trump's many failed business ventures as an example for why he shouldn't be trusted in complex foreign policy matters.
This coming from the idiots who run a scam called Trump University. 😂 https://t.co/SnisuSz5qz
— M̳a̳n̳e̳e̳s̳h̳”̳J̳a̳y̳”̳S̳h̳a̳r̳m̳a̳™🇺🇸😷 (@realMJSharma) March 16, 2022
Your dad wanted to leave NATO, and ditch the South Korea alliance. Good thing your dad is a LOSER….🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻💋 https://t.co/vL4mgsql12 pic.twitter.com/sxuvl5g0MX
— Athena 🏹 🏴☠️🇺🇸 (@PeaceAndHope96) March 16, 2022
Oh dear. How delusional are we? The man has failed at literally everything he touches and we're gonna send HIM to talk to NATO? The NATO he wanted to abandon while he was masquerading as our Commader in Chief. https://t.co/O2m1zJ4qTs
— Kelly for the Cause (@kelly4thecause) March 16, 2022
Fortunately, Junior has no say in who attends NATO talks.
@WhiteHouse/X
@HomelandSecurityDems
