Hello John,
What we witnessed yesterday in the Oval Office was a national disgrace of epic proportions—one that will not be easy for us as Americans to overcome anytime soon. President Trump invited President Zelensky, then invited the press to put on a show for one person. And that one person, sitting comfortably in Moscow, was laughing in amusement. This has Putin written all over it. European and NATO allies watched in horror and shame. We all saw the faces of those in the room—everyone was stunned. Even non-political spectators shared videos and clips because this was truly an unprecedented moment in American—and world—history.
This is not how world leaders communicate. You don’t berate, antagonize, insult, or belittle other world leaders—especially not in front of the press. And it wasn’t just Trump. Vice President Vance chimed in, throwing insults, while the so-called “adult in the room,” Secretary of State Rubio, sat there silently, offering nothing.
This incident was carefully scripted. Trump and his allies wanted to embarrass and weaken President Zelensky and Ukraine. Zelensky, for his part, likely wasn’t prepared for the ambush—he was probably just as shocked as the rest of us. His request was simple and reasonable: he wants peace and security guarantees. Meanwhile, Trump acts as if simply saying something will make it true. We’re still waiting for the cost of eggs to come down—and yet, they continue to rise. Shocking, right?
But beyond the theatrics, what does this mean for global stability? Where do we go from here? Europe isn’t going to sit back and watch as Trump and Putin redraw borders—just as they’re doing with Netanyahu and Israel. At some point, members of Congress must stand up and remind this country that we have three equal branches of government for a reason. But let’s be real: that won’t happen anytime soon. So, the responsibility falls on us—the American people.
We did not vote for this. Broad bipartisan support among the American people and Congress favors standing with Ukraine over Russia. We want peace. We want this war to end. But we want Putin to stand down. Russia is the aggressor—Russian and North Korean troops are in Ukraine, not the other way around.
It may feel like we are helpless as this travesty unfolds, and individually, we don’t have much say. But together, we have a very big microphone at our disposal. That is what we must rely on. We must continue to speak truth to power.
What is Trump getting from all of this behind the scenes? He made a deal with Putin, and we deserve to know what that deal entails. We can’t count on Republicans in Congress to do right by the American people, so we must do it ourselves. Last we checked, the United States—not Russia—is the world’s superpower.
Now, to be clear: this is not to say we don’t want this war to end. We do. Desperately. We at No Dem Left Behind were not happy with the Biden administration’s decision to introduce new weaponry into this war in the final days of the last administration. We are not political zombies who follow “red or blue, no matter who” slogans. However, like you, we believe in law, order, and international codes of conduct.
At this point, Ukraine’s NATO membership seems to be a non-starter. That’s unfortunate, but it’s likely a condition Ukraine is willing to accept—for now. What they cannot and will not accept is Trump’s (or rather, Putin’s) proposal to carve up Ukraine and hand over its resources to Russia. That has always been Putin’s goal—and that is exactly what Trump appears to be working toward. President Zelensky said no—loudly and publicly—in the Oval Office. And from there, the meeting spiraled out of control.
We have plenty of domestic challenges to tackle, and now this, too. But we can and will find a way to help Ukraine—because doing so is in our national interest. A more powerful Soviet Union 2.0 is not what we want.
And when I say we, I mean all Americans. We need to unify on this issue. And I believe we will.
If you disagree with anything I’ve said here, I want to hear from you. Dialogue is how we grow.
In Solidarity,
Hassan Martini
