After Russia began its invasion of Ukraine early Thursday, American conservatives maintained their stance of downplaying the gravity of the attack. The right-wing punditry followed talking-point trends in the days leading up to the invasion, which involved criticizing the Biden administration while understating Russian aggression against its neighbor.

Fox News and the Republican Party have both expressed sympathy for Ukrainians caught in the crosshairs of the military conflict. Fox News hosts have contradicted their own reporters on the ground in Ukraine. They blamed President Joe Biden for decades of policy decisions that led to the current unrest.

Donald Trump

On Wednesday, Trump spoke with Fox News host Laura Ingraham and stated that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “all happened because of a rigged election,” referencing the 2020 U.S. presidential election. He also took the opportunity to call the Biden administration “weak” and “stupid,” but did say that “as an American, I’m angry about it and I’m saddened by it.”

Tucker Carlson

On Wednesday's edition of "Tucker Carlson Tonight," the conservative pundit claimed that Ukraine is not even a democracy, calling it a “State Department client state.” Carlson, who has the highest-rated program on cable news, has frequently delivered dubious support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Pledge allegiance to Ukraine or else you’re a dangerous tool of Vladimir Putin,” Carlson told viewers about what the Biden administration wants from the public.

He also called Biden’s actions “adventurism in Eastern Europe,” saying that the administration is out of touch with everyday Americans.

Carlson repeated past comments from the 2020 campaign about Biden’s alleged connections to Ukraine, specifically those of his son, Hunter Biden.

“It might be worth asking yourself, 'What is this really about? Why do I hate Putin so much?' " Carlson said Tuesday. "Has Putin ever called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him? Has he shipped every middle-class job to Russia?"

Tulsi Gabbard

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat who has drawn criticism for her pro-Russia stance, echoed Carlson’s sentiments on Twitter, claiming that Ukraine is not a democracy and that President Zelensky “shut down 3 TV stations that criticized him.”

She also posted on Twitter that the U.S. government should have given in to Russia’s demands, calling them “legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine becoming a member of NATO” and about “US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border.”

Candace Owens

Conservative pundit Candace Owens also took to Twitter to express her views about the ongoing situation in Ukraine, agreeing with Carlson's previous statements about how the situation will affect those in the U.S.

She also took the opportunity to bring up Biden's family relationships to Ukraine playing a factor in the ongoing tragedy.

Owens also wrote that the sanctions Biden imposed "amount to nothing but posturing on the world stage."

J.D. Vance

J.D. Vance, the author of the book-turned-movie “Hillbilly Elegy” and a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio, stated on "Real America’s Voice" that when enlisting in the Marines in 2003 he did not expect to “go and fight Vladimir Putin because he didn’t believe in transgender rights.”

Vance also said that he was more concerned about the opioid crisis affecting his community than about borders in Ukraine.

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