Two Trump officials decline to say Russia started the war in Ukraine

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Feb. 23, 2025, 12:22 PM EST


Two Trump administration officials publicly declined to characterize Russia as the provocateur in its war against Ukraine, despite the war having begun when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Asked during an interview with “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream whether it was fair to say Russia attacked Ukraine unprovoked three years ago tomorrow, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said it was “fair to say it’s a very complicated situation.”

The comments come after President Donald Trump upended the prior U.S. position on Ukraine by falsely calling Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and laying blame on Ukraine for Russia’s invasion, despite Russia having launched an invasion of Ukraine in 2022 after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin advanced false information about the history and governance of Eastern Europe.

Earlier in the Fox News interview, Hegseth said he did not “need to get into the characterization of — we know who invaded who. We understand the stakes of this game.”

When pressed on why some have expressed hesitance in stating who was responsible for the start of the war, Hegseth responded by asking whether “finger-pointing and pearl-clutching” would make peace more likely. “Standing here and saying, ‘You’re good, you’re bad; you’re a dictator, you’re not a dictator; you invaded, you didn’t.’ It’s not useful. It’s not productive,” said Hegseth.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-administration-officials-decline-russia-started-ukraine-war-rcna193357

[Wingus Dingus]

1. Good job, Comrade Hogbreath.

What a traitorous sack of shit. We are so deeply fucked.
Edit to add: We are relying on him to carry out a nuclear strike against Russia should that become necessary. He won't even say they invaded Ukraine. We are so deeply, deeply fucked.

[William Seger]

2. "Not productive" to say who invaded who?!

Just in case there was ANYONE anywhere who thought the US could still be trusted as "leader of the free world."

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. Was Hegseth too drunk to pay attention three years ago?

Asshole.

[FakeNoose]

6. Even worse - he was working for Faux Noise

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. tfg has established the party line and these cowards will not dare contradict tfg

[speak easy]

10. The Fhrerprinzip

The leader's statements are truth and law.

[Evolve Dammit]

5. Traitors. Pretty clear.

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

7. Will their executions be on cable or PPV? (n/t)

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. "Let's not bicker and argue about who killed who ..."

[IronLionZion]

9. Transgender woke DEI started the invasion

Russia just wanted Ukraine to identify as Russia.

[Aussie105]

11. Classic fluidity of reality.

Ukraine started the war.
The 2020 election was stolen from Trump.
They were tourists, not invaders hell bent on destroying things and hanging Mike Pence.
The Panama Canal really belongs to America.
Canada really belongs to America.
Greenland really belongs to America.
Ukraine's mineral wealth really belongs to America.
Tariffs are good for America.

There are some aberrant psychological aspects to this fluidity, but it must be hard for Trump's followers to keep up with the latest non-reality that is the product of the swamp in Trump's head. Just in case they say the wrong thing.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

12. It's going to be the same bullshit as with the 2020 election results.

Trump cried and whined incessantly that he was cheated and the Repugs went along with him. Trump claims it was Ukraine’s fault for Russia invading and all of his toadies will go along with him.

[travelingthrulife]

13. Whiskey Pete's a genuine coward

[Grins]

14. "Standing here and saying, 'You're good, you're bad; you're a dictator, you're not a dictator...."

“Standing here and saying, ‘You’re good, you’re bad; you’re a dictator, you’re not a dictator; you invaded, you didn’t.’ It’s not useful. It’s not productive.” - Hegseth.

It was at Fox. You, regularly, did that.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. There is a pattern-MaddowBlog-As the war in Ukraine begins its fourth year, Team Trump's efforts keep getting worse

The U.N. General Assembly took up a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine. Trump's delegation voted with Russia and North Korea.
https://bsky.app/profile/stevebenen.com/post/3liwwgrjpks2g

The U.N. General Assembly took up a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine.

It's a problem that the Trump administration's delegation voted with Russia and North Korea. It's a bigger problem that this was part of an ugly pattern.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/war-ukraine-begins-fourth-year-team-trumps-efforts-keep-getting-worse-rcna193473

As the war in Ukraine completed its third full year, diplomats at the United Nations considered a resolution on the anniversary of the conflict. As The Washington Post reported, the Trump administration’s delegation did not stand with the United States’ traditional democratic allies.

The United States voted with Russia, North Korea, Belarus and 14 other Moscow-friendly countries Monday on a resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine and calling for its occupied territory to be returned that passed overwhelmingly in the U.N. General Assembly on Monday.

As NBC News reported, the United States actually lobbied countries around the world to oppose the resolution brought by Ukraine and European countries......

This also coincides with several key figures from the Trump administration and the White House appearing on Sunday shows and refusing to say that Russia started the war in Ukraine.

This came on the heels of Trump lying about “missing” money the United States sent to Ukraine in the form of aid.

Which came on the heels of Trump repeatedly labeling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator.”

Which came on the heels of Trump accusing Ukraine of “starting” the war that Russia started.

Which came on the heels of Trump excluding Ukrainian officials from diplomatic talks about Ukraine’s future.

Which came on the heels of Trump vouching for Vladimir Putin’s trustworthiness and interest in “peace.”

Which came on the heels of Trump saying he’s prepared to reward Russia by welcoming it back into the G7.

Which came on the heels of allegations that Trump, during his first term, secretly sent Covid-19 testing equipment to Putin at the height of the pandemic, even as people in his own country struggled to gain access to such resources. (While Trump denied the allegations, the Kremlin — to the extent that its statements have merit — said Trump did, in fact, send Covid tests to Moscow.)

Which came on the heels of Trump denouncing U.S. efforts to combat Russian misinformation campaigns, going so far as to characterize Russia as a victim.

Which came on the heels of Trump talking up the possibility of lifting U.S. sanctions against Russia.

Which came on the heels of Trump publicly congratulating Russia over a historic prisoner swap.

Which came on the heels of Trump pointing to Putin for validation to justify his position on Ukraine.

Which came on the heels of Trump celebrating the fact that Putin was echoing his talking points about the 2024 election and Trump’s multiple criminal indictments.

Which came on the heels of Trump telling a Mar-a-Lago audience how “smart” Putin was for invading a neighboring country.

Which came on the heels of Trump describing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as “genius” and part of a “wonderful” strategy.

Which came on the heels of years’ worth of Trump kowtowing, genuflecting and repeatedly showing abject weakness toward Moscow.

The Republican Party’s “Putin wing” used to be limited to a handful of fringe House GOP members. In 2025, the party’s “Putin wing” has taken root in the West Wing.

[GoodRaisin]

16. Of course they did. They are all "yes" men.

[LudwigPastorius]

17. Putin's takeover of our government is complete.