Former President Donald Trump believes that U.S. funding of the war in Ukraine is necessary, Reuters reported. His statement Thursday ended speculation and was the first time the former president formalized his position.
The House of Representatives is set to vote on yet another $61 billion in aid to Ukraine to fund its war with Russia. The issue has split support within the GOP.
During the GOP primary, Trump would not share whether he thought Russia or Ukraine should win the war. However, in a post to his Truth Social, Trump spoke about the need to support Ukraine but called on the rest of Europe to chip in.
Trump rightly called out other countries for leaving the U.S. to pick up the tab for the war. "Why isn’t Europe giving more money to help Ukraine?" he began his post.
"Why is it that the United States is over $100 Billion Dollars into the Ukraine War more than Europe, and we have an Ocean between us as separation! Why can’t Europe equalize or match the money put in by the United States of America in order to help a Country in desperate need?" Trump wrote.
"As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!" This chastisement came just a day after Trump met with Polish President Andrzej Duda at his New York City Trump Tower.
The pair discussed the war and Duda's plan to ask for funding through NATO. Each member nation is currently asked to contribute 2% of its GDP, and Duda suggested that be ticked up to 3%.
Notably, the Institute for the World Economy found that the U.S. provides most of the military support while European countries outpace it with humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine, The Hill reported. If Europe wanted to match what the U.S. provided militarily, it would have to double its effort.
Although Trump's approach makes sense, it comes at a time when Republicans are deeply divided about aid to Ukraine. House Speaker Mike Johnson has attempted to separate out spending packages for Ukraine, Israel, and U.S. border security to remedy the conflict.
Instead, the move has triggered Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to threaten to once again ouster the House Speaker. She insists Johnson "owes our entire conference a meeting and if he wants to change the motion to vacate," ABC News reported.
"This has never happened in history. And it's completely wrong. He owes our conference the truth, and he owes Republicans answers. He's going to prove exactly what I've been saying correct. He is the Democrat's speaker," Green claimed.
Meanwhile, Trump worked toward a solution with Johnson which demonstrates a moderate approach from them both. "We’re looking at it right now, and they’re talking about it, and we’re thinking about making it in the form of a loan instead of just a gift," Trump said following last week's meeting.
Regardless of how compelling isolationist arguments can be, the U.S. is already in deep with its support of Ukraine. Trump is right to call on Europe and look to other solutions rather than continuing to blindly pump billions into the nation's conflict.
