From “Slava Ukraini” to “ICE Out”

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Remember when Hollywood couldn’t stop draping itself in Ukrainian flags like it was the new designer accessory of 2022? Oscars, Grammys, Golden Globes—every red carpet looked like a walking Ukrainian embassy. Benedict Cumberbatch rocking a pocket square in blue and yellow, Jamie Lee Curtis turning a ribbon into jewelry, Jason Momoa channeling Aquaman solidarity. They were “standing with Ukraine,” virtue-signaling so hard you could hear the Zelenskyy applause from Kyiv. Performative? Sure. But at least it was consistent for a hot minute.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the love affair was still flickering. At the Oscars in March—right after President Trump’s Oval Office dust-up with Zelenskyy, where the Ukrainian leader showed up in his signature war-time formalwear (black polo with trident crest and fatigue pants, like he was auditioning for a Netflix war flick)—Daryl Hannah couldn’t resist going off-script. Presenting Best Film Editing, she flashed a victory sign and belted out “Slava Ukraini!” to roaring applause. “Glory to Ukraine,” she declared, because nothing says courage like a 64-year-old actress yelling battle cries from a Dolby Theatre stage amid fresh White House drama. Trump quipped, “Oh look, you’re all dressed up,” dripping with sarcasm—Zelenskyy looked like he’d rolled out of a bunker, not suited for diplomacy.

“Conclave” writer Peter Straughan pinned a Ukrainian flag brooch to his tux and told Variety, “Just to say, let’s not turn our backs on Ukraine.” The “Porcelain War” doc team (about Ukrainian artists-turned-fighters) sported the same pins. Even Adam Sandler’s sweatshirt got memed as a Zelenskyy nod. Hollywood was still fawning over the cause, still pinning hopes (and actual pins) on the war effort, still pretending their lapel statements would end Putin’s aggression.

Then came 2026. Poof. Gone.

The Ukraine flags vanished as fast as the left’s outrage under Biden—when they cheered endless billions flowing to Kyiv while borders bled and high-profile crimes by released criminal aliens made headlines. Back then, media coverage was wall-to-wall: Ukraine as the moral crusade of the decade, Hollywood draping itself in blue-and-yellow like it was saving the world one ribbon at a time. Biden’s administration poured in aid without end, and the left/media ate it up—no fatigue, no questions about the grinding stalemate or the generational wipeout.

But flip the script to domestic enforcement: Suddenly, the same crowd—Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Joni Mitchell, Kehlani—trades flags for “ICE Out” pins and “F--- ICE” speeches at the Grammys, honoring victims of federal actions while glossing over the Biden-era chaos that left 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories on ICE’s national docket as of mid- 2024 including 435,719 convicted criminals and 226,847 with pending charges. Encounters topped 10.8 million nationwide since FY2021, fueling tragedies like the rape and murder of Laken Riley (by an illegal alien) and the sexual assault and killing of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray (by two illegal aliens). The unauthorized population peaked at 13.7–14 million by mid-2023 (per Pew and MPI estimates), a record high after years of lax policies.

Worse? Biden’s open borders imported the murderous Tren de Aragua (TDA) Venezuelan gang—now tied to 100+ ongoing investigations in the United States, including cases involving murders, rapes, assaults, and trafficking in states like New York, Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Colorado. Under Biden, TDA exploited the migrant surge to infiltrate, terrorizing communities and preying on Americans and migrants alike. Families shattered, communities destabilized—real suffering the left ignores while pinning anti-ICE badges.

Now? FBI Director Kash Patel’s 2025 stats deliver the slap: Violent crime arrests surged 200% overall (67,000 total), with 490% jumps in takedowns of murderers, rapists, and child molesters; homicides dropped 21% in 35 major cities (922 fewer deaths), aggravated assaults and robberies plummeted. ICE nabbed 132,000+ in the first half (70% with criminal records), deportations quadrupled, and hundreds of TDA members booted using the Alien Enemies Act. Trump’s fixes are cleaning up Biden’s mess, prioritizing American safety over performative pity.

The numbers sting harder on Ukraine: Zelenskyy admits 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers dead; Russian losses 275,000–325,000 killed; total casualties nearing 1.8 million (on pace for 2 million by spring, per CSIS). U.S. taxpayers? $175–187 billion appropriated since 2022 ($128–130 billion direct to Kyiv) for a stalemate grinding on.

Hollywood’s response? Pins defending the system that let horrors happen, speeches shielding the same crowd jacking violent stats. This isn’t evolution; it’s expiration. Hollywood’s solidarity has a sell-by date shorter than milk in July. They fawned over Zelenskyy when it was fashionable, pinned flags when the cameras loved it, then swapped them for “ICE Out” buttons the second the domestic outrage cycle spun up.

The audience knows performative activism when they see it. The left’s lapel politics flip like a bad Netflix series—big emotions, short attention span. If they can drop Ukraine this fast after years of chest-thumping, what’s next? Another pin for the next viral crisis?

Until then, keep your eyes on those red carpets. The next virtue signal is always just one tragedy—or one trending cause—away.

About the Author:

Wendy M. Yurgo is the Founder and CEO of Revere Payments, a Christian conservative fintech company serving many of the nation’s leading faith-based and freedom-driven organizations. She is a writer and speaker passionate about faith, freedom, and strengthening families. Her work is rooted in light, guided by principle, and grounded in truth.

Follow Wendy on Instagram @wendyyurgo and X @paymentsSHEEO.

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