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Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is a serious and seemingly thoughtful person who weighs his words carefully before he speaks, which is why his comments about Trump bullying Zelenskyy and the impact that the president’s behavior will have on the United States should get attention.
Video of Sen. Kelly:
Kelly responded to Trump’s behavior toward Zelenskyy by saying:
Zelenskyy, as he always is, this guy is habitually thankful to the American people, to the United States Congress, to the president. So it was constructive. Not a single one of us expected what happened in the Oval Office to happen, and I have to say, that was a mistake.
I think it was a miscalculation by the President. Bullying an ally of ours makes us look weak. And when we are weak, we are less safe. The American people should make no mistake about that. What happened in the Oval Office was a complete and utter disaster. And it puts us in a much worse situation. Not only with the Russians and the Ukrainians, but with our European allies. And I, I hope we can repair, repair it.
Later, Kelly added:
I feel horrible for the Ukrainians. Vladimir Putin is murdering their citizens, raping women, stealing children. And he goes into that office into a, into a press conference before the deal is signed. I mean, it seems to me that Trump doesn’t, maybe he doesn’t want a deal. I think one of the things he said that is rather instructive in the middle of that meeting, he says, Putin went through a lot of hell with me or something to that effect.
And I don’t quite understand why. Donald Trump feels that, you know, that’s something you would say as a combat veteran with your brothers in arms, that, that this was hell or we went through hell together. And he seems to have that kind of relationship with Putin. And I don’t get that. Putin is a dictator.
This entire situation has made us less safe as a country.
Sen. Kelly made two important points about Trump considering Putin a brother in arms. The senator also corrected the Trump misinformation that Zelenskyy was not grateful and didn’t want a deal.
Judging from Trump and Vance’s behavior toward Zelenskyy, they are the ones who don’t want a fair peace deal.
Part of the pushback that needs to happen right now is that serious and sensible Democrats and Republicans have to debunk Trump’s Russian talking points.
Sen. Kelly was correct, and judging from the pro-Ukraine protest of JD Vance, the American people are listening.