On Wednesday night, Russian president Vladimir Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine after weeks of amassing Russian troops at the Ukrainian border and just days after sending Russian troops to pro-separatist regions of Ukraine, which Putin claimed were sovereign.
In remarks announcing a new wave of sanctions following the attack, President Joe Biden said:
"Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences."
As the invasion unfolded, former President Donald Trump hosted an event at his Mar-a-Lago resort featuring a number of conservative congressional candidates, such as Georgia Senate hopeful Herschel Walker.
In a rambling speech, Trump had quite a different take than Biden as he remarked on the Russian state's invasion, predictably insisting it never would've happened on his watch and even praising the authoritarian Putin.
Watch below.
At Mar-a-Lago event, Trump says "Trump said Putin is smart. He's taken over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I'd say that's pretty smart." pic.twitter.com/v4RkhqvCd3
— danny (@dabbs346) February 24, 2022
Trump told the crowd:
"Putin's smart. I mean, he's taken over a country for two dollars' worth of sanctions, I'd say that's pretty smart. He's taken over a country, a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people, just walking right in. This would've never happened, ever in a million years, never happened. And I know him very well, I know him probably almost as well as I know anybody in this room, other than [GOP Congressman and former White House physician Ronny Jackson of Texas]."
Until Trump mentioned Jackson, who's currently running for reelection, the crowd was eerily silent listening to Trump praise the invasion, with only the clinking of glasses and silverware to accompany him.
Social media users noticed, including Biden's deputy press secretary, Andrew Bates.
Two nauseating, fearful pigs who hate what America stands for and whose every action is driven by their their own weakness and insecurity, rubbing their snouts together and celebrating as innocent people lose their lives. https://t.co/GrZcOzXJ8g
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) February 24, 2022
A crowd of dozens ignore sundowning grandpa droning on about the same old whining talking points while interrupting their dinner.
😂pic.twitter.com/RWhiVTiuLK
— The Clear Cider (@TheClearCider) February 24, 2022
Looking at that crowd and very few look proud let alone enthused to be there. https://t.co/BoQGneTgsk
— AnnieW (@AnneNewsJunkie) February 24, 2022
Disgraceful comments from the ex President. The audience just sitting there in stony silence. #Trump #Ukraine #UkraineRussiaConflict https://t.co/F2hmfK7ZQ8
— Mark Foley (@mecafolidas) February 24, 2022
This moment is definitive.
From the chandeliers, clinking silver on china, juxtaposition of blunt “maga” branding against ersatz Versailles, the buffoonish bluster of Trump again bragging how well he knows Putin to the almost audibly congealing discomfort of the audience. https://t.co/188gpQfsKJ
— Leesa Brown (@LeesaBrown) February 24, 2022
He is literally the drunk uncle who won’t stop talking long enough to let people eat. https://t.co/WJEQ0b7uf8
— John Degen (@jkdegen) February 24, 2022
Shout out to the people who can’t be bothered to stop eating. https://t.co/T3trN7Bvn4
— Scott Collette (@ScottJCollette) February 24, 2022
The comments further confirmed Trump's character to his critics.
A traitor and a sociopath. People are about to die. But sure that’s “smart.” https://t.co/xtY7PZMa3Y
— Bart Bonikowski (@bartbonikowski) February 24, 2022
Putin is on the verge of further invading Ukraine, launching a bloody war, and costing thousands of people their lives.
Donald Trump thinks that's "smart." https://t.co/5Hyt8lDFLc
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) February 24, 2022
Trump’s entire worldview is “cheating and stealing is smart because you get free stuff” with zero consideration of harm or damage or death or other people. Just gimme gimme gimme, me me me, mine mine mine. https://t.co/j85fkuoPTn
— ray. (@rayhatfield) February 24, 2022
Earlier this week, when Putin declared pro-Russia separatist regions in Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk) as sovereign before sending Russian troops into the regions, Trump praised the move as "genius."
