White House Staff Calls Trump, Putin 'Nauseating, Fearful Pigs' For Celebrating Ukraine Invasion

A White House staffer Thursday slammed former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “nauseating, fearful pigs” after Trump celebrated Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “pretty smart.”

The staffer’s remarks came after Trump, speaking at the Take Back Congress Candidate Forum at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday, praised Putin’s decision to assault Ukraine and dismissed the sanctions imposed by the West as “too little.”

“I mean he’s taking over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart,” the former president said, according to a recording taken from the event. “He’s taking over a country - literally a vast, vast location. A great piece of land with a lot of people, and just walking right in.”

Following Trump’s comments, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates lambasted the former president and Putin on Twitter, calling them “nauseating, fearful pigs” whose actions were driven by their insecurities.

Bates was not the only person under the Biden administration to have condemned Trump’s recognition of Putin’s actions. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., slammed Trump in a tweet, adding that his remarks are only aiding Kremlin.

“Trump’s interests don’t seem to align with the interests of the United States of America,” she wrote.

Sen. Bernie Sandies, I-Vt., also took to Twitter to call Trump’s adulation of Putin “unsurprising.” He also argued that the former president aspired to be like the Russian president.

At least 137 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 316 wounded since Russia’s invasion began early Thursday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address. The dead included 10 military officers and all border guards on the Zmiinyi Island in the Odesa region.

Infrastructure on the island has been destroyed by aerial attacks and artillery shelling. Communications with the Ukrainian forces on the island have also been severed. Zmiiniyi Island, also called “Snake Island,” is now believed to be in Russian hands, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Meanwhile, Zelensky signed a declaration Thursday that banned all-male citizens aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. In addition, Ukraine would also begin drafting able-bodied reservists into its armed forces as the country prepares for a Russian invasion. All conscripts will serve a maximum period of one year.