Donald Trump on Sunday uncorked a massive attack on certain allies amid a brewing new scandal, leading to condemnation from experts and political observers alike.
Trump took to Truth Social during what some have called "one of the biggest foreign policy scandals in history" involving disputed reports that Marco Rubio disseminated Russia-written documents to Ukrainian officials and passed them off as a U.S. peace deal.
In his weekend blow up, Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for the war and said in all caps, "I INHERITED A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, A WAR THAT IS A LOSER FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SO NEEDLESSLY DIED. UKRAINE 'LEADERSHIP' HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA."
The responses came quickly.
MSNBC journalist Sam Stein reported on Sunday:
"Trump with a lengthy statement that says not too much but accuses Ukraine leader of not expressing gratitude for the help the US given which is just factually not true (Zelensky has gone out of his way to express gratitude after the Oval blow up)."
CNN journalist Jim Sciutto wrote, "Three European countries account for the bulk of those Russian oil purchases: Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey. Trump himself [g]ave Hungary a one-year exemption to buy Russian oil earlier this month."
Ex-federal prosecutor Joyce Vance added, "This war is not about Donald Trump. It’s about Russian aggression, which he now seeks to reward, contrary to Ukrainian, European, and American interests."
Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican congressman, chimed in with, "The President continues to ignore that it is Russia who invaded Ukraine & bombing cities every night. Putin ordered this invasion. Why the moral confusion? The war started before Trump’s first term. I’ve heard President Zelenskyy thank America many times for our military aid."
Michael MacKay, who says he has a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science, also weighed in:
"Fascist Russia is at war with Western civilization and invaded Ukraine in 2014. The Russian Federation is the aggressor and the sole reason for the state of war. Trump is a Russian asset and traitor to the United States."