'Extremely upsetting': Republican veterans leaving GOP because of Trump policy

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

May 24, 2025 7:54PM ET


When U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House on January 20, one of the major policy changes from the Biden Administration involved the Ukraine-Russia War. Biden, a scathing critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, favored aggressive military aid to Ukraine. Trump, in contrast, says he is trying to negotiate a peace plan between Ukraine and Russia but angrily berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when he visited the White House.

In a Capital News Service article syndicated on May 24, reporter Jade Tran takes a look at veterans in Maryland who are openly expressing their disdain for Trump's Ukraine policy. The Maryland veterans, according to Tran, are members of Republicans for Ukraine — a national group associated with Defending Democracy Together, which was founded by Never Trump conservatives Bill Kristol and Mona Charen.

Kristol and Charen (once a speechwriter for First Lady Nancy Reagan) are writers for the conservative website The Bulwark and have become unlikely allies of Democrats and liberals in recent years. In 2024, both of them supported Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Tran explains, "Launched in 2023, Republicans for Ukraine is part of an umbrella group that also leads projects such as Republicans for Voting Rights and Republicans for the Rule of Law. It spotlights GOP voters who still support U.S. aid to Ukraine and back the country's fight against Russia — a stance increasingly rare within the party."

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/gop-vets-leaving-over-trump/

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Link to referenced article - Maryland veterans join pro-Ukraine GOP group: ‘There’s nothing left of the Republican Party’

[BoRaGard]

1. The republicon Draft-Dodger-in-Chief is an absolute disgrace

can't blame anyone for turning their back on him and his russian pattycake routine

[mdbl]

5. No but I can blame them for being stupid enough to support Dump to begin with

You really have to have no brains.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Sempre Fi!

[wolfie001]

3. They're no longer hating on LGBTQ?

No, it's not that. It's their self-interest. They finally figured out the rePukes don't give a shit about them. Poor things. When Biden was President and their livelihoods weren't threatened, they wallowed in their hate. How about those projects they "support': Republicans for Voting Rights and Republicans for the Rule of Law? Are you kidding me? What a f6cking joke!

[ananda]

13. Thanks for making me understand why they voted republican.

They wanted the armed services to be straight and white.

They certainly didn't actually care about the quality and
integrity of the military by voting forr Trump.

[wolfie001]

20. I'm sure I didn't need to convince you of anything

You read books and discern info. I wish all people would. ✌

[ananda]

22. Well, I'd been wondering why so many vets were Republican.

However, if you see every Republican through the lens of
bigotry and irrational phobias, I guess you always get an
answer.

[Callie1979]

4. Our UKR policy has sucked from the start. Obama did little after Crimea;

Biden dripped increasing aid and everyone sees what a failure Trump is

BEFORE the war Biden should've told Putin "If you invade we will supply UKR with everything they need with NO restrictions" & then stuck with that. When UKR was able to push the Russians into retreat, an overwhelming counterattack MAY have been able to push them much further back and kept them there but they didnt have enough weaponry & ammo. But we were also hampered by finding out our OWN production was having trouble ramping up. But coupled with the EU countries & others I believe we could have fattened up the UKR military. Because they've been outgunned 10-1 from day one yet STILL have held them off. Imagine if the firepower wouldve been closer to equal.

[LymphocyteLover]

7. Biden had a fine line to walk with giving weapons that could lead to a larger war,

or Russia shooting off nukes, by giving weapons that could shoot long range into Russia.

As it was, Biden was constantly being critiqued that he was starting WW3.

The bigger problem was fucking Republicans cutting off all funds for weapons for half a year in 2023-2024 (because fucking trump told the House GOP not to give UKR aid).

[Callie1979]

24. The war started 10 months before the GOP took over.

We had control during the invasion & during the counterattack that forced Russia into retreat. And here we are 3+ years later with a larger war
Putin wasnt going to do anything to any NATO country.

Yes, hindsight is 20/20, but being delicate with a dictator has NEVER been the proper plan

[LymphocyteLover]

27. I know. And Ukraine did great initially. When the GOP came in, they made sure to throttle our aid

and cast doubt on Ukraine's ability to win and demonize Biden for being too reckless and wasteful and of course spread stupid rumors that Biden was profiting off the war.

You know, their usual evil divisive and harmful bullshit.

[Callie1979]

29. But initially it was "NO HIMARS. NO jets. NO tanks. NO Patriots" Etc

THAT is on him. I'm sorry but no pass from me on this. Pressure BEFORE the attack might've made a difference. And full arming prior to the invasion could've ben a big impact too. Yes, UKR did FAR better than anyone expected. Including me. But we dropped the ball from the start. And the House DID approve billions even after the GOP took over in '23. More than one time.
Hopefully the EU's ramping up production can take up for much of the slack that traitor trump has imposed on UKR
But they are also at fault; refusing to send certain weapons systems at the start & dragging THEIR feet as well

[LymphocyteLover]

32. Yes, that is true. The Biden admin only wanted to give defensive weapons and nothing that be seen

as escalatory, initially. Perhaps they were over cautious, but they were dealing with a nuclear armed madman.

[JT45242]

8. Also limited by Congress..if it costs cash, Congress is involved

There is only so much discretionary money in the federal budget that a president can legally use.
For example, money earmarked for international aid but not tied to a specific country.


After that it requires congressional funding. Biden could only give so much to Ukraine because that's all he could get out of Congress. Blame the Republican representatives owner by the Kremlin for the lack of aid to Ukraine.

[Callie1979]

25. We controlled Congress for the first 10 months of the war.

That was during the initial invasion and the counterattack
And we had the votes to fund UKR. Even several GOP votes as well.
I think the well stated & illustrated threat from Biden may have made Putin think twice. Or start flooding UKR with weapons BEFORE the invasion
And as I said above, of course hindsight is PERFECT. We'll never know.

[LymphocyteLover]

6. oh darn!

[Butterflylady]

9. You know, I used to belong to the republican party,

Mainly because of my parents. But as I got older and I learned what they stood for I became a Democrat. So, for the life of me, I just can't think how anyone would want to be a republican.

[MLWR]

10. A lot of them are just like you.

Their parents and other family members "have always voted for republicans," so they did too. Many, if not most, of them either weren't smart enough or weren't interested enough to learn "what they stood for" and that they didn't give a shit about anyone who wasn't at least a millionaire. So, they vote "R" out of habit rather than conviction.

[FakeNoose]

21. I totally understand, and I'm glad you saw the light

I grew up in the Midwest, and most relatives were "proud Republicans." They could say that and hold their heads up in the days of Ike Eisenhower. I never voted R, but I remained independent and voted D for over 35 years.

Finally in 2008 I wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton for President and I could only do that in the primary election. So I joined the Democratic Party (finally) and I haven't looked back. I know I'll never vote for an R candidate in my lifetime - I'm 74 now - so there's no reason to remain independent.

[TheBadWolf]

11. I'll be more impressed when sitting Congressmen do the same. n/t

[Orrex]

12. They're leaving the GOP forever until 2026, no doubt

I'm sure that the vast majority will find it in their hearts to pull the red lever come midterm day.

[Callie1979]

26. I know several who I believe will NOT do that.

Sure, they could be lying to me but they're always the ones who initiated the conversations about what a mistake trump is/was.
Those people come to us on their own. We need to bring the Democrats who voted for him BACK; along with the non-voters & Independents. THEY are who win elections.

[hueymahl]

14. Praying for Peace in Ukraine

This has been a bloody, needless war. Lots of policy failures to go around.

[LauraInLA]

15. I love this message. But I think these are Never-Trumpers, if they're part of Defending Democracy Together.

[republianmushroom]

16. It has taken them how many years to come to this conclusion?

Not the brightest blubs on the porch.

[Sessuch]

17. The Grand Old Party of religious bigots

[FakeNoose]

18. I'm so old I can still remember when Chump called veterans "losers" and "suckers"

Link: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/

And yet, those dis-respected veterans and the active military continued voting R at least 2 more times.

[usaf-vet]

19. He continues to demonstrate his disdain for anyone in a US Military Uniform. HE is a disgrace beyond words.

At the West Point Graduation, he gave a speech that, based on the lack of applause, was not well received. It was a rambling bunch of BS with every other topic being about him and the fantastic job he's doing.

Then he broke a long-standing tradition by FAILING to shake the hands of the newest Army officers and hand them their diplomas.

Here is a link to President Biden doing what the Commander-in-Chief has traditionally done. Either one will get you there.

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20342580

[Blue Owl]

23. Better late than never!

Don’t know what they ever saw in that draft dodging chicken hawk to begin with….

[Cha]

31. Fux screws brainwashed 'em?

[Blue Owl]

33. Like Jon Stewart once said -- "oh, the Hume-Hannity!"

Would be nice if one day they all just came to their senses and turned against the traitor and his propaganda outfits.....

[Cha]

34. Yes It Would Be.. Righteous and Honorable.

No Kings Hands Off! 💙🌈

[PJMcK]

28. Trump has always disrespected the Armed Forces

Why don't those in service realize this simple fact?

[Cha]

30. Well Hallelujah, Vets! What Took Ya?

Mahalo, BRDS!

No Kings Hands Off! 💙🌈