Is Trump’s Demand of Ukraine Paying Back Aid Justified?
President Trump is following up on his commitment to end the Russo-Ukraine war that he inherited from the disastrous Biden-Harris administration. The negotiations toward the goal of peace have started. But they have hit early snags already from the Ukrainian side. Trump recently called out Ukrainian President Zelensky for his dictatorial rule of the country and for mismanaging the money the Biden administration poured on him.
And as the Trump and Putin administrations have completed the first round of talks toward a resolution of the conflict, Zelensky has fired back at Trump’s criticism and refused to commit to repay the money received from the U.S. He has questioned the actual amount of aid received from the U.S. and also underscored that the Biden administration didn’t send Ukraine the money as loan to be returned. The media aired Zelensky’s comments on the question of repaying America.
Whether it’s $75 billion or over $300 billion, is Ukraine liable to pay back what it received from the U.S.? Is Trump justified in pressuring Ukraine to pay back the big chunks of American taxpayer money? Will the people who gave this money away to Ukraine be held accountable for this loss?
The key players in the Biden administration’s policy on Ukraine aid – the Defense Department and State Department – didn’t hide their use of Ukraine as NATO’s proxy to fight Russia. But Zelensky is not off the mark when he says he was not given this as a loan but as a grant or aid to assist Ukraine against Russia. The fundamental question here – one that both the mainstream media and the Trump administration are avoiding highlighting – is under what exact terms this money was given to Ukraine. Nobody seems to bother asking for documented records of the terms and conditions of all the Ukraine aid packages. The mainstream media has consistently called all the aid packages just that – aid, not loan or debt. It was the American taxpayer money approved by the U.S. Congress with bipartisan support and twice under a Republican-led House. While firebrand conservatives in the House and Senate have voted against Ukraine aid bills, it has not been audited and no one in the government has seriously asked for such an audit. Steve Bannon recently brought up the point about an audit of the Ukraine aid under the Trump administration, saying it is beginning to happen.
From leftist media’s own confessions during the Biden administration, most of the total aid package was actually spent inside the United States. One report published in the Washington Post (November 2023) estimated that 90% of the aid would actually be spent within the U.S. Yale Insights cited the report in February 2024:
Rather, these funds stay in the U.S., where leading defense contractors have invested tens of billions in over 100 new industrial manufacturing facilities, creating thousands of jobs across at least 38 states directly, with vital subcomponents sourced from all 50 states.
With this in perspective, it doesn’t sound fair of the Trump administration to demand Zelensky return the funds in cash or kind. In essence, the warmongers running the Biden administration with the senile occupant of the White House only good for signing what was put in front of him practically hired the corrupt Ukrainian government to fight Russia. Until an audit is conducted both in Ukraine as well as inside the U.S., President Trump is not justified in pressuring Zelensky for the expenses of the Zelensky-Pentagon-NATO scheme.
The question of accountability faces Trump harshly when it comes to the U.S. military establishment. While Trump has shown defiance such as in firing and slamming top generals – the latest being Biden’s Joint Chief of Staff General CQ Brown Jr. – his appointees may not share his bravado.
There is another interesting angle, however, which may justify Trump’s demand of Ukraine for returning what it got as aid money. Maybe Trump is using this demand as a means of pressuring Zelensky into agreeing to his peace terms. This could very well be the case since the leftist-controlled NATO is still assuring Ukraine of military and financial support in order to further the war with Russia. To bring Zelensky back to his senses, Trump may be hitting him in his financial loins as a reminder of his fragility. If that indeed is the case, Trump is playing it smart. Whether it proves effective would also depend on how much pressure Trump can exert on other NATO countries to stop the push for this war that has destroyed way too much already on all sides.
If this Pakistani hates America so much, why did he come? Couldn’t he accomplish this from Pakistan?
This story is replete with lies and misses so many facts of the matter it’s fit for The Dumpster.
The dumb shit does not even mention that Trump’s promise was to stop the war before inauguration, now he’s a year out.
Trump demands repayment when no other coalition member has asked for it, that’s right, out of over 50 members, only the US has attempted to twist their arm for repayment.
Trump is negotiating the treaty just like he did Afghanistan and look how he helped to cause what happened there.
He says: “the disastrous Biden-Harris administration.” I say FUCK YOU, what DISASTER? Like the million that died from covid starting on Trump’s watch type disaster? Like the disaster that is Pakistan? So bad, you left.
“Trump recently called out Ukrainian President Zelensky for his dictatorial rule of the country and for mismanaging the money the Biden administration poured on him.” Prove the Z-man is a dictator or STFU.
“ill the people who gave this money away to Ukraine be held accountable for this loss?” At this point, it’s clear this guy is anti-American and is just trying to have us fight with each other.
” the warmongers running the Biden administration with the senile occupant of the White House only good for signing what was put in front of him” wow, just wow. does this guy have a hard on for Joe or what. Most of us are content to let him ride off into the Delaware sunrise off Rehoboth, but the Orlando Dumpster, boy, he just can’t get enough dumping on Joe. Go for it you stupid shit; you spent four feckless years trying and ended up sucking pond water, from the bottom, the dirty bottom. Go for a few more years of investigation. I am sure you have a winner this time.
And the rocket scientist just figured out we build our own munitions……No shit, Sherlock.
Substandard again.
Frank, take your blood pressure meds and some deep breaths to calm down. Now it seems Dempsey is actually calling Trump wrong in this article for demanding all the money off Zelensky. And since it was mostly spent here, it would make sense to do an audit. What’s anti-American that you see here? As for Biden, no amount of dumping on him can come close to how he turned the country into a dumpster on fire. Trump is only beginning to clean the mess he left.
Weethepeople: take your neuriva and try to recall what I actually said. Seems pretty clear to me my complaints, but maybe you like this Pakistani patriot as he tries to get us to tear into each other.
My problem in this story isn’t so much as what he said as it was to what he didn’t say, what he misses.
And yes, he said he holds judgement until an audit is completed. Gee — we’re in for a about $120B in about three years. Our defense budget is $4.1T over the same period making Ukraine about nit of our defense budget number, not that the money came from there. Just as a scope factor. We spent over 2 trillion in Afghanistan.
That said, it’s a big number and if you show me any war at a budget like this or larger where there is not a lot a inefficiency and waste, then you know as much about war as The Dumpster knows about America. But The Dumpster did NOT say Trump was wrong, he said Trump could be wrong but we need an audit to know. I am sorry: but America is the only nation out of more than 50 that has even mentioned the topic. America is the only one to put a contract in front of Ukraine for repayment by stealing their resources pretending we paid for them. On this one: The Dumpster and the President are wrong. America does not act this way.
Did anyone ask for their support money and resources to be repaid after 9/11? Did they ask for money in support of our war on terror thereafter? Did our Afghan, Iraq, or Syria coalitions give us a bill?
Even if this is the right thing, and it is not, it is certainly not the right way to do it. And to float it as a trial balloon —- hey, a bully can ask for anything he wants when he’s got leverage like we do. Does not make it principled. Never will.
But no, I don’t think I said anything untrue, and certainly was spot on for the facts. IMO.
So you oppose accountability in Ukraine aid because there has been no accountability in previous wars – the big difference being that in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq American military was directly involved and the military aid was not sent to the foreign government. That’s a big difference. But regardless, military should not be above accountability and Ukraine’s govt shouldn’t be either. This article is about Ukraine aid so the writer doesn’t have to talk about everything (or it will be a digital book posted as an article). Do CNN and NYT talk about Bidens, Obamas, Clintons, and everyone else when talking about a Trump scandal? 🙂
WTP: Accountability is fine; but tying Ukraine’s potential payback based on it seems stupid. Also, I was trying to make the point that there is much waste in war, always will be. I am not sure what The Dumper, you, or Trump expect to find that would lead you to charging or not charging Ukraine which no one except the USA has even, ever, mentioned.
As to the other wars, what you think we should get paid back for arms, but not for bodies? Seems you should lobby the other way…. Big difference as you say, but I lean to valuing the people more than I value hardware.
But, as to law, if someone breaks it, let’s indict them and get justice, either party. But we are not a country that says here’s some aid and then, three years later, say here comes a bill.
No, the author does not have to talk about things outside the scope of the article. But he should neither lie, he does, nor miss so many facts germane to the story as to make his version fit for The Dumpster.
Oh fyi: you really think we did not provide aid to the Afghan or Iraqi governments like we provide aid to Ukraine? Really?
And no about CNN/NYT, but FOX does. And PBP, especially the day-old-trash we pull from The Dumpster does, all the time.
We had troops in Iraq and Afghanistan so military aid to them would make sense cz the DOD had direct presence there who could monitor the aid in real time. We have no troops/DOD inside Ukraine (or maybe secretly we did go there, which will only validate Russia’s position in this war) so auditing them by actually sending an audit team to Ukraine makes sense. Other countries should be doing it too. Your rationale that because others are doing something wrong so we should too doesn’t hold.
I agree that Trump’s demand for a mineral deal is not reasonable. Those deposits belong to the people of Ukraine and not their corrupt government so Trump’s demand that Zelensky to commit to it is bonkers. The Ukrainian parliament should be deciding it – and for that of course an election will be needed after Zelensky lifts the martial law.
Funny how you are again validating the article by Dempsey which says that aid should not be paid back.
CNN NYT Fox all do it and it is the standard in reporting. You focus on an issue not talk about everything that has gone before. I see enough context in this article to get the point. You are not happy because it doesn’t fit your Dumpster.
WTP says: “Funny how you are again validating the article by Dempsey which says that aid should not be paid back.” But that is not what is found in The Dumpster where he weasel-worded: “With this in perspective, it doesn’t sound fair of the Trump administration to demand Zelensky return the funds in cash or kind. In essence, the warmongers running the Biden administration with the senile occupant of the White House only good for signing what was put in front of him practically hired the corrupt Ukrainian government to fight Russia. Until an audit is conducted both in Ukraine as well as inside the U.S., President Trump is not justified in pressuring Zelensky for the expenses of the Zelensky-Pentagon-NATO scheme.” It does not sound fair is not saying aid should not be paid back. It actually sounds like The Dumpster does not feel we should be there, with our aid, in the first place. It’s weird wording and certainly not plain speak.
As to an audit, I keep telling you I have no issue with it. Just don’t expect to find no waste. War is waste by definition. Every war. And even if you found massive waste, even if you found Zelensky bought that boat, don’t expect to get your gift back because that’s what aid is: a gift. Unless you structure it differently in the beginning which we, nor any of the over 50 countries in the aid coalition did.
The story is fit for The Dumpster. It leaves out facts and makes bogus opinionated conclusions not factually supported in The Dumpster. Typical fare you find in The Dumpster. It’s as if it was written by a guy from a terrorist-sponsoring shithole country who often seems to want to turn us against each other for his own perverse unpatriotic Pakistani pleasures. That does not mean I don’t support an audit. I have no issue with an audit. I have said many times that I don’t have an issue with an audit. An audit is fine by me.
I think it’s funny that with all the wars, all the aid, that you and The Dumpster call this one out for an audit. Why not audit them all. And while you are at it, let’s audit DOGE to figure out how Trump’s going to bump Verizon for Starlink and it’s $2B prize to Elon Musk’s Starlink Company. Let’s audit DOGE to find out how much it costs to shrink the government and how we are going to pay without running a deficit. How much does it cost to fire and then rehire the same people. Or how he’s paying for the tax cuts that our current debt and deficit are still paying for because his estimate was a lie, and he never ran the audit.
Matter of fact, didn’t he fire the auditors?
Well good then we agree on something – the audit. The only difference is you clearly showing unhappiness with the call for one while I am fine with it without fuming at the writer’s ethnicity or national origin. As for pitting one against the other, I don’t think anyone needs that – and for many years. Obama pit all of us so well together there’s no looking back now.
I did not show unhappiness, just a estimate that you will find nothing of value to your argument.
I do not fume at his origin, just note it as it might relate to his reasons for trying to pick a fight for us.
Obama? What actions did he do that did that?
And if there is no looking back, then why do you keep doing it? And if we can’t look back, where are we going?