CaliToday (29/12/2025): Tensions within the Republican Party flared on Monday after President Donald Trump appeared to endorse Kremlin claims that Ukraine attempted to assassinate Vladimir Putin, prompting a sharp rebuke from Representative Don Bacon (R-NE).
A "Grave" Allegation from the Kremlin
Early Monday, Moscow accused Kyiv of launching a massive long-range drone attack comprising 91 UAVs—targeting President Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region. While Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed all drones were intercepted without casualties, he warned of "determined retaliatory strikes."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky swiftly dismissed the claims on X (formerly Twitter) as a "total fabrication" designed to justify further Russian aggression and sabotage ongoing peace negotiations.
Trump: "I Was Very Angry"
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump told reporters he had spoken with Putin at 8:00 AM.
"President Putin told me... he was attacked. It’s not good, not good at all," Trump said, appearing to favor the Russian account. "Attacking in war is one thing, but attacking Putin’s home is another. This is not the time for anything like that... I was very angry about it."
When asked if there was proof of the strike, Trump admitted, "We’ll find out... but President Putin told me this morning."
Internal GOP Backlash
The President’s comments immediately drew fire from Rep. Don Bacon. The Nebraska Republican took to X to urge the administration to verify facts before placing blame.
"President Trump and his team should get the facts before assigning blame. Putin is a notorious, pathological liar," Bacon wrote, highlighting a growing rift between the MAGA wing and traditional GOP hawks over foreign policy.
Global and Domestic High Stakes
The controversy comes at a pivotal moment for the Trump administration:
- Gaza Peace Efforts: Trump and Netanyahu discussed moving into "Phase Two" of the Gaza peace plan, which requires Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of the strip.
- Military Action in Venezuela: Trump confirmed U.S. forces "knocked out" a major drug-smuggling facility along the Venezuelan coast, marking a significant escalation in his campaign against the Maduro regime.
- China-Taiwan Tensions: Following a massive $11 billion U.S. arms sale to Taipei, Beijing launched large-scale military drills surrounding the island as a "stern warning."
- Domestic Friction: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) criticized Speaker Mike Johnson for being "100% under the direction" of the White House, while Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) pushed for the codification of Trump’s "Most Favored Nation" executive order on prescription drug pricing.
Looking Toward 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, Washington remains a whirlwind of "America First" branding—with discussions even surfacing about renaming the Kennedy Center or naval vessels after Trump. However, with the 2026 midterms approaching and global conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East far from resolved, the "Trump Peace" remains a fragile and highly contested ambition.