One of Fox News’ star hosts seemingly broke ranks after President Donald Trump paused all U.S. aid to Ukraine, stressing that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is the bad guy.”
“Can we all remember @KremlinRussia_E is the bad guy—they invaded—they kidnap kids,” Brian Kilmeade, who co-hosts the network’s popular morning news chat show Fox & Friends, wrote Monday on X, tagging Putin’s official government account. “Whatever happens—Ukraine can not lose—eastern. [sic] Europe will be next.”
Trump ordered a pause to all U.S. military aid to Ukraine on Monday, days after he and Vice President JD Vance blasted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, bringing America’s relationship with its war-torn ally to a nadir.
An official told CNN on Monday that the halt on assistance could remain in place until Trump is satisfied that Zelensky is committed to peace talks, which could force him to negotiate with Putin over the threat of military and territorial losses.
Zelensky and Ukrainian officials have frequently noted that Putin—who ordered an illegal invasion of their country in February 2022—has a history of violating ceasefire and diplomatic agreements.
Trump reiterated Monday that he believes Zelensky should show more gratitude for American support and, in a social media post, expressed fury at Zelensky’s suggestion that the war’s end “is still very, very far away.”
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” he wrote.
Trump also claimed while speaking to reporters that a ceasefire “should not be that hard a deal to make” and suggested that, if Zelensky doesn’t negotiate to his liking, it’s possible he “won’t be around very long.”
Kilmeade’s Fox News colleague Bret Baier interviewed Zelensky on Friday after the Oval Office blowup with Trump and Vance, and asked the Ukrainian leader whether he owed his American counterpart an apology for the verbal dustup.
“President Trump said after your meeting that you disrespected him and the vice president and all of America in the Oval Office. Do you think you did?” Baier queried.
Zelensky did not directly address Trump but emphasized that he is “very thankful to Americans for all your support... thankful to President Trump and to Congress’ bipartisan support.”
In a statement on social media, Zelensky built on his remarks to Baier: “It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival.”
