The 'MAGA base isn't piling on' as Trump now criticizes Putin 'in starker terms'

When U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance angrily berated visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House meeting on February 28, many critics of the MAGA movement argued that they were playing into Russian President Vladimir Putin's hands. Trump and Vance's tone with Zelensky was much different from that of former U.S. President Joe Biden, who was an aggressive supporter of military aid to Ukraine.

But Axios' Tal Axelrod, in an article published on May 10, observes that in the weeks after that meeting, Trump and Vance were more critical of Putin than they are known for being.

"President Trump and Vice President Vance are publicly criticizing Russian leader Vladimir Putin in starker terms than in the past," Axelrod explains. "But the MAGA base isn't piling on — and remains as skeptical of Ukraine as ever. Why it matters: Big voices in the base aren't contradicting Trump — but they're not echoing him, either."

READ MORE: 'Appalling and lawless': Trump faces court battle as he fires 3 Dems

Axelrod adds, "Top MAGA voices still say they trust the White House as it tries to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine — they just aren't shedding their longstanding skepticism of Kyiv as talks continue…. Trump and Vance — who had an Oval Office altercation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — have recently been name-checking Putin more."

For example, when Russia fired missiles at civilian areas in Ukraine in April, Trump commented, "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?'"

Far-right MAGA Republican and podcaster Jack Posobiec told Axios, "In general, the MAGA base is not on board with extending or expanding the war and trust Trump when he is in negotiation mode. But I don't think extra payments (to Ukraine) will go over well."

READ MORE: Someone finally put spoiled child Trump in his place

Read the full Axios article at this link.