Former U.S. President and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump voiced strong criticism of American aid to Ukraine at a campaign rally in Detroit on June 15. Speaking at the Turning Point USA event, Trump claimed he would “have that (U.S. aid to Ukraine) settled prior to taking the White House as president-elect.”
Trump described President Volodymyr Zelensky as “the best salesman” for securing substantial financial support from the U.S. He stated, “I think Zelensky is maybe the greatest salesman of any politician that’s ever lived. Every time he comes to our country, he walks away with $60 billion.” Trump continued, “Now, here’s the beauty. He just left four days ago with $60 billion, and he gets home and he announces he needs another $60 billion. It never ends. I will have that settled prior to taking the White House as president-elect.”
Trump’s statement contained inaccuracies regarding U.S. aid to Ukraine. A foreign aid bill containing close to $61 billion for Ukraine was signed by U.S. President Joe Biden in late April. Trump has previously stated that he would withhold defense assistance to Ukraine if he won the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Additionally, Trump has claimed that Russia would not have launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 had he won a second term in office.
