Opinion: No! To the US of Trump, Vance, Hegseth, Little Marco, So-Important Witkoff (2025)

First, let me note, there’s a pall hovering over America at the moment, and it seems many Americans are ill-equipped to name it, much less confront it. We need to see it for what it is.

And now on to the most recent developments concerning Ukraine.

It has been suggested by both Catholics and non-Catholics that the Holy Father succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage on the Monday morning after Easter because he had been visited by the devil himself on the day before. That diabolical apparition according to these superstitious, or perhaps simply mischievous observers, was the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance.

That same day of the Holy Father’s demise, Vance’s boss instructed his underlings to submit an ultimatum to Ukraine. Vance and “Little” Marco Rubio both vocalized the Russian diktat now in the form of a Trump peace plan: Surrender to Russia.

Russia’s assault on Ukraine has not abated. It has become even more severe, not only in terms of numbers of missiles and drones, but the targets which have become almost exclusively residential civilians. Recent deadly strikes by missiles and drones in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa and most recently Kyiv have been Russia’s response to peace efforts.

When criticized for demanding concessions from Ukraine only but not Russia, Trump once again displayed both his ignorance of the matter at hand and his lack of respect for Ukraine by stating that Russia could have taken all of Ukraine’s territory.

The old adage, “If Ukraine has a friend like the United States, it does not need enemies,” has been on full display before the global community. America’s current leadership has completely gone over to the other side. Russia’s crimes go unpunished. Perhaps because Trump is accustomed to his own crimes going unpunished.

On Thursday the Wall Street Journal published an editorial somewhat critical of Trump’s ultimatum to Ukraine, but suggesting that Trump was wrong to do so since it would be viewed by the rest of the democratic world as a loss for American leadership. The morality of attempting to compel and punish the victim and benefitting the aggressor, which should embolden other aggressors, was marginalized.

The following day The Wall Street Journal published a more balanced editorial, yet ended by stressing that Trump’s one-sided treatment of Ukraine in favor of Russia would tarnish Trump’s legacy. The moral imperative was absent once again.

What is Ukraine to do? Certainly not accept the joint Russian-American ultimatum.

President Zelensky may continue his tireless diplomacy. The rest of the world should shun Trump and the US.

A most telling reality of Trump’s global credibility was when Trump stated recently that America and China were in trade talks and China called that fake news, the majority of the world believed China and not the American president.

Further defending his economy, Trump stated that the price of eggs had decreased by 87 percent. That would mean that the price of a dozen eggs in America is currently 50 cents. He went further to underscore that the price of gasoline is less than $2.00 per gallon. Not a single of the 50 states enjoys that price.

Resistance is the only solution. Many Americans have taken to the streets with protests.

Ukrainian-Americans have been largely remiss in this regard, and yet they have the most to lose. The man in the White House is no longer simply a liar and a buffoon. He has assumed the role of the devil himself and his acolytes are serving up pure evil.

As a result, the US itself is becoming a pariah pretty much despised by the entire world. Foreign tourists are shunning America. American products are boycotted. No country in the democratic world respects America as before.

Only Americans can undo what they have done. This is truly a tragedy because the “land of the free and the home of the brave” has become a travesty.

Contributing in part to that travesty, the Ukrainian-American community has either not been focused on the real problem, or worse, has appealed to Trump’s vices (vanity, narcissism, mendacity), if not psychoses.

Immediately following the shameless display of American lack of hospitality towards President Zelensky at the White House, the Ukrainian American community staged a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC with no focus aimed at Trump, the major perpetrator. That rally received no media attention. Another rally held in New York City at Astor Place of all venues, chanted “Thank you USA.” For what? For selling out Ukraine.

Granted, some Ukrainian-American shills for Trump, including several clergy, have been remorseful but with no substance.

The people in Ukraine live under the illusion that most Ukrainian-Americans are both quite sophisticated and well intentioned. But…

My message to good Americans, including some good Ukrainian-Americans: it’s really time to stand up and join the resistance against the evil that has permeated America toda .

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.