Roller Coaster
From Trumpists to Communists. The forces in the U.S. impeding aid to Ukraine and how they do it
Analytics, Data, and Text: Inna Gadzynska, Serhii Mikhalkov, Mykhailo Tymoshenko, Volodymyr Lytvynov
Design and Graphics: Nadja Kelm, Yevhenia Drozdova
The project is funded exclusively by the readers of Texty.org.ua. You can support our work here.
Supplement dated June 9, 2024
This is a Statement of Facts. Neither “a List of Enemies”, nor “a Kill-List”.
This article has sparked a swift and organized wave of hate on social media platform X, based on manipulative accusations. Therefore, we find it necessary to provide an explanation for readers who draw their own conclusions after reviewing the material.
The table of research subjects, which has generated the most controversy, is neither a "list of enemies of Ukraine" nor a "kill list," as it has been labeled in numerous posts circulating on platform X.
These data were collected and published solely to demonstrate the evidence supporting the theses presented in the article. The article itself is not an accusation but a study of the political and media context that influences government decisions regarding further support for Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The editorial team of Texty.org.ua does not deny, condemn, or dispute the right of American citizens, media, and institutions to express any opinions or hold any political beliefs.
We value and respect freedom of speech, which is essential for a democratic society.
In turn, we reserve the right to investigate a topic directly related to the preservation of Ukrainian statehood, present evidence, state facts, debunk false arguments, and compare them with those propagated by Russian propaganda worldwide for decades, since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war (unfortunately, this part of our research was not as popular among readers).
The decision to conduct and publish this research is the sole responsibility of the Texty.org.ua team, whose work on this project is funded by reader donations (you can also contribute here).
We are open to discussion and reasoned feedback.
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In April 2022, Congressman Mark Amodei praised Ukrainians for their efforts in fighting for their independence and emphasized the importance of supporting them. He backed all pro-Ukrainian initiatives in Congress. However, in April 2024, he unexpectedly voted against allocating aid to Ukraine.
In September 2023, Senators Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham wrote a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to provide Ukraine with ATACMS missiles ranging from 165 to 270 kilometers, depending on the particular model. By February 2024, however, they voted against a bill proposing aid for Ukraine, only to vote in favor of it in April. Graham and Cotton are not the only flip-flopping politicians in the U.S. Congress.
Such inconsistency in decisions can also be observed in other American politicians. Why do these fluctuations occur?
Texty.org.ua decided to research the reasons expressed by the media and expert communities contributing to political discordance within the decision-making establishment.
As a result, we identified a wide range of groups opposing support for Ukraine, from Trump supporters to communists, and explored the ecosystem of mutual support among those who hold this position.
Between November 2023 and April 2024, we processed several thousand pieces of content mentioning the war in Ukraine. We analyzed statements and publications from influential public figures and organizations in the United States, using internet and social media content since February 24, 2022.
Our study included reading articles, monitoring social media posts (mostly X), watching videos, and listening to podcasts where Ukraine was mentioned.
Over several months, we examined thousands of pieces of content related to the war in Ukraine, identifying dozens of key narratives that align with those promoted by Russia and aim to undermine Western support for Ukraine on the battlefield.
Our focus was primarily on politicians, members of Congress, journalists, influencers, media organizations, think tanks, and civic activists. However, we did not track all content distributed by any specific individual or organization. Inclusion in our study required at least one piece of content or action that aimed to reduce or halt support for Ukraine.
Our aim was not to cover the entire information landscape or every narrative about Ukraine but to document the most prevalent narratives in political, media, and expert communities.
We also explored the informational environment and the connections among individuals and communities that came into our focus. We examined whether they support each other through public statements or collaborative actions.
During the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion, support from the American people for weapons and funding for Ukraine was crucial to its ability to hold off and push back against Russian aggression. Millions of Americans across the political spectrum continue to support Ukraine fervently. Yet, towards the end of 2023, the U.S. government paused its financial and military assistance for six months.
House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed putting the relevant bills up for a vote for several months despite theoretical bipartisan support.
Ultimately, the House of Representatives passed the aid package on April 20, 2024, although Donald Trump's allies worked vigorously to block it. In the end, 112 Republican members voted against the aid.
April 20th 2024. “Ukrainian flags fly in the chamber of the UNITED STATES House of Representatives as they vote to send more of your hard-earned money to a corrupt foreign regime. And just like that, they shout ‘UKRAINE! UKRAINE!’ while happily working to secure Ukraine’s borders, not ours,” Senator Rand Paul wrote in a post on X.
The delay has had severe consequences on the Ukrainian front, leading to increased casualties among Ukrainian troops and a gradual retreat by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The events in the U.S. Congress are merely the surface of deeper issues. Numerous NGOs, well-known activists, and political commentators in the U.S. consistently advocate for American isolationism and oppose support for Ukraine.
Their stance is significant in the context of the ongoing war, given Ukraine's heavy reliance on U.S. assistance, which is increasingly challenging to secure.
We've identified a broad spectrum of aid opponents, ranging from Trump supporters to communists, and examined their connections.
While our research does not cover every public figure opposing aid to Ukraine, it highlights prominent individuals and common arguments that often mirror Kremlin propaganda.
There are 386 individuals and 76 organizations in our list. These include politicians, political movements and groups, media and journalists, experts, and think tanks (some individuals appear in multiple categories).
A little more than half of the individuals in this sample are right-wing, about one in eight are left-wing, and the rest do not associate themselves with a specific ideological platform. The right-wing individuals are mostly politicians affiliated with the Trump wing of the Republican Party. Most of the left-wing individuals are anti-war activists and left-leaning parties that urge the government to stop funding Ukraine. Most of the media, journalists, experts, and think tanks in this list do not have a clear right or left bias.
Out of these,
50 individuals have collaborated with Russian media and
government-funded initiatives during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine (after February 24,
2022). Some have moved to Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine. Around 30 journalists
and influencers work as reporters and contributors for Russian media and also serve as observers
at illegal referendums in Russian-occupied territories.
* Correction made on 06/08/2024. Instead of "Works for Russia," we wrote "Cooperates with
Russia," which is a more accurate translation of the Ukrainian word "співпрацює" (cooperates)
Over 30 individuals and organizations on the list have been noted for spreading conspiracy theories. Two-thirds of these conspiracy theorists belong to the media sector, less than a third are involved in politics, and only three are from the expert community.
In the political realm, we have identified politicians, political parties and movements, civil society organizations, political activists, and investors in political forces. Nearly all the politicians are members of the Republican Party, except two Libertarians and leaders of a few small left-wing political groups. The left-wing predominates among the political activists and movements, primarily pacifists. This group also includes a small political faction of Democrats known as "The Squad" in the U.S. Congress. We also included several business people and venture capitalists in the political sphere, as they fund politicians who demand an end to support for Ukraine. These are primarily investors in Republican politicians.
We included 116 members of the U.S. House of Representatives (out of a total of 435) and 21 senators (out of 100) who did not support the bill for aid to Ukraine in April 2024. All of them are members of the Republican Party. The majority are supporters of Donald Trump, who also advocate for suspending support for Ukraine.
The list includes around 100 journalists and over 30 media outlets, with only one being mainstream. Among the media professionals are many podcast creators and political talk show hosts. Those who have been banned from mainstream social networks and media platforms have created their channels for disseminating information, including private ones.
The approximately 30 influencers on the list hold diverse beliefs. Among them are left-wing and right-wing, as well as those who work for Russian media or have relocated to Russia. Some belong to the expert community, others are political activists, and some are journalists. However, they all have large social media followings, ranging from thousands to millions of followers.
This list includes around 30 right-wing media figures and up to 10 left-wing ones. The ideological platform of the majority (around 90) is not clearly defined. Two-thirds of the media organizations lean towards right-wing ideology, with a few being left-wing. Right-wing media predominantly advocate for isolationism concerning the war in Ukraine. Left-wing outlets call for an end to the bloodshed by stopping the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
We included 30 think tanks and over 80 experts, including academics, veterans, political consultants, and former politicians. Many of the experts advocate U.S. isolationist policies and represent think tanks, anti-war, and climate initiatives.
The ideological platform of most experts and think tanks in this list is not clearly defined (including some Russian projects). About three dozen have a right-wing bias. Among them are projects associated with billionaire Charles Koch and politician Donald Trump. Around fifteen leans towards the left. While their arguments vary, their conclusions are often similar: either reduce the aid to Ukraine or stop it altogether.
See more detailed infographics on listed entities here.
Investors and Venture Capitalists
The technologies from Starlink and Palantir, owned by Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are aiding Ukrainians in their conflict, necessitating an explanation for their inclusion in this list. After Elon Musk acquired the "Twitter" network (now X), Russian propaganda significantly ramped up on the platform. He frequently shares with his 187 million followers a highly skeptical view of the United States' financial support for Ukraine, aligning with Russian narratives.
Peter Thiel, the founder of PayPal and Palantir, advocates for isolationism in modern US politics and is a key investor in influential Republicans like Blake Masters and J.D. Vance, who are known for blocking aid to Ukraine. In 2021, Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance, and Vivek Ramaswamy invested in the social network Rumble. This platform became an alternative for the then-banned Donald Trump on Twitter and the blocked Russian media outlet Russia Today (RT) in 2022.
Vivek Ramaswamy during an interview with Tucker Carlson for his website
Billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, dubbed "the young Trump," withdrew from the presidential race to support Trump. They both publicly exchanged compliments and planned to collaborate. Ramaswamy has frequently made headlines with his anti-Ukrainian statements, claiming, "Putin was able to seize eastern Ukraine because there was no resistance there like in the rest of Ukraine" because "the eastern regions of Ukraine are Russian-speaking and do not even consider themselves part of Ukraine."
“I think that’s a fictitious scenario for a lot of reasons. Part of the reason Putin has been able to seize eastern Ukraine is they have not had the same level of resistance as the rest of Ukraine.”
“The eastern regions of Ukraine are Russian speaking and don’t even really view themselves as part of Ukraine … that is why there was no counter-insurgency or resistance.”
The 2014 parliamentary elections demonstrated that most voters across the country opted for parties that favored European integration. The results of the 2019 presidential election reinforced this trend. Here is the map of votes for Zelensky in the second round.
In 2022, residents of the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, which were attacked by the Russian army on February 24, resisted the invaders. The Russians captured these areas with considerable numerical and armed superiority. Unarmed residents protested in the streets of the occupied cities in the early days following the Russian takeover.
Subsequently, the occupiers began to kill and torture the protesters. Throughout the occupation, the Russian army committed numerous war crimes in these territories. Russian soldiers killed, tortured, and raped residents for any pro-Ukrainian sentiments.
For additional counterarguments to Russian propaganda, see "Narratives."
Ohio Senator James David Vance joins obstructing support for "Ramaswamy in word and deed" with public statements and votes "against" in the Senate.
On April 20, 2023, Vance, along with 18 other representatives of the US Republican Party, signed a letter to US President Joseph Biden stating that "unlimited US assistance to Ukraine should be terminated" and that the signatories of the letter “we will adamantly oppose all future aid packages unless they are linked to a clear diplomatic strategy designed to bring this war to a rapid conclusion.”
Charles Koch is an American billionaire who is associated with several think tanks like Stand Together, the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, the Cato Institute, and Concerned Veterans for America, which have taken an isolationist position regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war and advocate for not provoking Russia, to beware of escalation, and forcing Ukraine to negotiate by limiting military support, etc.
Isolationism—avoiding involvement in international affairs and political alliances—was the basis of official U.S. foreign policy in the 1920s and 1930s. The U.S.'s entry into World War II marked a setback for isolationists. Post-war, the U.S. emerged as a global power with an active foreign policy stance.
The experts of these think tanks, as well as Russian officials, name the US policy toward Ukraine in recent decades and NATO's eastward expansion as the causes of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
If Russia wins this war, the international order established after World War II will be destroyed, and Russia's ambitions will not stop with Ukraine. Putin's next target will likely be Moldova, Georgia, or even NATO member states in the Baltic region.
Russia's victory will inspire China to attack Taiwan. Thus, Ukraine's victory means stopping the spread of war.
For additional counterarguments to Russian propaganda, see "Narratives."
Grant Cardone, a training company owner and Scientology supporter who has been accused of fraud on several occasions, has 1.1 million followers on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and writes many tweets like "Ukraine is the biggest Go Fund scam in history. Stop Funding this war."
Also on the list is Ben Cohen, co-owner of the Ben & Jerry's ice cream company, who funds the Eisenhower Media Network, an organization of military experts and veterans.
Arguments for ending support for Ukraine echo Russian propaganda
Most of the people in our study do not have direct, proven ties to the Russian government or propagandists. However, the arguments they use to urge authorities to distance themselves from Ukraine echo key messages of Russian propaganda aimed at depriving Ukrainians of the ability to defend themselves with Western weapons and funds.
Even long-debunked myths continue to surface, such as claims of Nazi dominance and American Biolabs in Ukraine and the portrayal of the 2014 Revolution of Dignity as a coup.
You can find the complete list of identified narratives and their debunking here.
Peterson, Putin, and Christian Values
In mid-2022, following the devastation of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine by Russian forces, Jordan Peterson, a widely followed Canadian psychologist, and fan of Dostoevsky who was treated in Moscow for six months in 2020, rationalized Putin’s attack on Ukraine as a defense of traditional Christian values against the corrosive impact of Western culture. This narrative aligns with the explanations provided by Russian officials to their domestic audience.
This infographic highlights dozens of the most common arguments made by American politicians, media personalities, and experts calling on the government to end its support for Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. However, the Ukrainian government requires the UOC-MP to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, which not only endorses Russian aggression against Ukraine but also actively participates in it.
For additional counterarguments to Russian propaganda, see "Narratives."
You can find the full list of identified narratives and their refutations here.
"Away from the Abyss”
“There is no declared Russian war aim beyond installing a friendlier government in Kyiv that rules out future NATO membership,” reassured the Western audience by historian Sean McMeekin, a Stanford University alumnus, in May 2023 in the American conservative magazine Compact. In the same month, Russia launched numerous modern missiles and hundreds of drones at "unfriendly" Kyiv.
One of the inaugural articles in this magazine, established in March 2022, is "Away from the Abyss." This editorial, co-signed by the magazine’s founders and thirty other experts, cautions the US government against meddling, escalating tensions, or attempting to topple the Russian regime. Signatories include Dan Caldwell, director of the Stand Together Foundation funded by billionaire Charles Koch, American university professors, and other journalists.
On the day this article was published, March 31, 2022, the Russian military withdrew from Bucha, a town about ten kilometers northwest of Kyiv, after a 33-day occupation that resulted in over 600 civilian deaths.
These two cases clearly illustrate how many influential figures, lacking a deep understanding of the war's nature or its specifics, parrot hearsay and adjust it to fit their own views. The strategy of Russian disinformation involves creating multiple sources that echo narratives favorable to Russia’s military strategy. Other tactics include exploiting “useful idiots,” as explored in a New York Times documentary series.
The Russian Footprint
In his Foreign Policy article, scholar Ian Dutkiewicz examines trends in American politics, noting that while there is a virtual consensus against aiding Ukraine, neither the right, the left, nor isolationists support Russia or oppose Ukrainians. This is attributed to internal political dynamics. Indeed, as of spring 2024, only about one in nine individuals in our study has clear working connections to Russian entities.
According to the U.S. Department of State’s 2020 report, Russia adeptly leverages local conditions and circumstances to its benefit, targeting specific groups and establishing a decentralized network for disseminating its narratives. These narratives continue to propagate even without direct involvement from Russia or its primary agents.
Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan has described in an interview how Russians have created hundreds of information outlets that appear unconnected to Russia “in a race against the CIA,” which is attempting to block them.
Our list also includes Russian think tanks' websites, such as the Strategic Culture Foundation, New Eastern Outlook, and the South Front news resource. Though based outside the United States, these sites receive significant traffic from the US (tens or hundreds of thousands of visitors, according to Similarweb data as of February 2024) and disseminate a broad spectrum of fabricated news about Ukraine, including contributions from American authors and politicians.
A recent report from the Digital Forensic Research Lab highlighted that in 2023, Russia intensified its global efforts to undermine Kyiv’s international reputation, weakening Western support and Ukrainian morale.
“The Kremlin and its allies continue to try to damage Ukraine’s global standing, playing a long game by targeting nations worldwide with disinformation and influence campaigns aimed at reducing public support and allies’ willingness to provide aid,” according to the Atlantic Council.
“Right now, as we speak, Moscow is engaging in a psychological warfare operation,” former US National Security Council official Fiona Hill said in a late December 2023 interview with Radio Liberty's Russian service. “These are classic Soviet tactics—demoralizing the enemy before defeating them on the battlefield. They aim to make the enemy feel defeated and think that they have already lost, and this is precisely what Putin is doing now, stirring debates in the West.”
And he is having some success. In February 2024, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson explained his vote against a bill supporting Ukraine by stating that he saw no benefit in prolonging Ukraine’s suffering since the country had already been defeated, although he recognized Putin as a war criminal.
ECOSYSTEM. How "Right-Wing" and "Left-Wing" Opponents of Aid to Ukraine Support and Promote Each Other
- Persons
- Organizations
Among the most significant "nodes" of connections between the opponents of aid to Ukraine are Donald Trump who, although he has not made any statements about stopping aid to Ukraine, is a person around whom many others who have made such statements revolve and his supporters, Senator J.D. Vance and media personality Tucker Carlson, Libertarian Party member Ron Paul, The Grayzone website and its founder Max Blumenthal, left-wing anti-war communities CODEPINK and the Massachusetts Peace Action, the far-right website Infowars and its editor Alex Jones, and many others. The ecosystem is current as of the beginning of May 2024.
The hypothetical lines of mutual support between individuals and organizations are drawn based on the following:
- participation in joint actions, organizations, campaigns, and movements;
- joint publications, reprints;
- support during elections (both financial and verbal public support);
- complimentary interviews, public statements, and mutual sharing of content as a sign of support (in particular, reposts on social media);
- involvement in the financing and activities of actions or organizations.
Let's take a closer look at the role of these "nodes" in withdrawing support for Ukraine.
Trump and his Network
The core of the effort to decrease U.S. support for Ukraine consists of Trumpists—politicians, media figures, activists, and experts aligned with Donald Trump, including Trump himself. Members of Congress aligned with him obstruct bills aiding Ukraine, with the most vocal ones spreading their views to millions via social media.
Though Trump has not directly opposed Ukraine post-invasion, he has noted that Russia "will eventually...take over all of Ukraine," frequently stating that Ukraine lacks the capability to defeat Russia. In April 2024, media outlets reported on Trump's "secret peace plan," suggesting that Ukraine should cede Crimea and Donbas to Moscow.
On April 20, 2024, just before the House of Representatives vote on Ukrainian aid, Trump didn't endorse the bill but publicly recognized for the first time that "Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us!" He criticized European allies for their insufficient support of Ukraine.
Despite his remarks, Trump remains a pivotal figure for those consistently against supporting Ukraine, according to our survey.
In February 2023, a group of 10 Republicans led by U.S. House member Matt Gaetz initiated the Ukraine Fatigue Resolution, advocating for the cessation of military and financial aid to Ukraine.
Mr. Gaetz has been a vocal critic of aid to Ukraine. He, along with co-sponsors like Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie (Kentucky), and Barry Moore (Alabama), in November 2022, pushed for a stronger audit of funds the U.S. provides to Ukraine.
Even those who supported Ukraine in 2022 opposed it by early 2024, worried about a backlash from Trump supporters and aiming to maintain their career prospects within the Republican Party with Trump as the presidential candidate.
Trump's campaign slogan that American taxpayer money should only be used for the needs of American citizens is a defining feature of his presidential campaign for the upcoming elections in fall 2024. His stance resonates with the views of Republicans who rose to power post-World War I.
Trump's approach to foreign and domestic policy attracts many neoconservatives and far-right supporters. His views are endorsed by The Heritage and Stand Together Foundations, the Cato Institute, conservative media such as One America News Network, Real America's Voice, The American Conservative, The Daily Wire, Breitbart News, and the Concerned Veterans for America movement.
The center-right student organization Turning Point USA (TPUSA), founded by Charlie Kirk, serves as a recruitment platform for Trump supporters, and The Center for Renewing America functions as a think tank.
The Center for Renewing America
US President Donald Trump. According to Politico, the organization is already crafting a new conservative strategy in anticipation of a potential Trump victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Russel Vought. Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo
Key figures in the organization, including Russell Vought, Bradley Devlin, KeithGsley Wilson, Heather Cordasco, Mika Meadowcroft, Ken Cuccinelli, Wade Miller, Jeff Clarke, and Sumantra Maitra, have publicly opposed economic and military support for Ukraine.
On their website, the organization cited an old claim that North Korea had allegedly purchased a rocket engine manufactured in Ukraine via the black market. This accusation has been denied by Ukrainian authorities.
Turning Point USA
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) is a student-led center-right organization known for hosting events on college campuses to advocate for center-right policies and cultural values. In 2018 and 2019, TPUSA's key events took place at then-President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago club, featuring Donald Trump Jr.
Charlie Kirk, the president of TPUSA, addressed the 2016 Republican National Convention and served as the chairman of Students for Trump. TPUSA opposes U.S. involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and advocates for an end to U.S. aid to Ukraine. During the 2020 election, TPUSA was recognized as the largest pro-Trump youth organization in the country.
"Zelensky is coming to DC next week to bully the American public into writing another $24 billion check to a dilemma.
He's coming here to beg just days after his transgender English spokesperson threatened to hunt down and kill anti-Ukraine critics and 'propagandists.'
He's doing this after threatening his European allies that the millions of Ukrainian refugees across the EU will start terrorizing their host nations if he doesn't receive perpetual financing for the war.
55% of Americans say the US Congress should NOT authorize more funding, and 51% say that the US has already done enough (CNN).
The American people must stop being extorted by a foreign gangster.
Not one more dime."
This tweet mentions Sarah-Ashton Cirillo, an American transgender journalist and combat medic in the Territorial Defense Forces, who served as the English-speaking spokesperson for the Defense Forces during August and September 2022.
The only mechanism to make Russia adhere to any agreement is to have sufficient strength. Ukraine must be able to defend itself; only then will any agreement carry weight.
Russia is militarizing its economy, indicating preparations for a prolonged war. There are no signs of de-escalation of Russia's stated objectives in Ukraine, and no one has defined a realistic way to make Russia change its rhetoric that does not involve its military defeat.
Read more counterarguments against Russian propaganda in the "Narratives" article.