US Lawmakers Slam Special Envoy for Leaked Kremlin Call
A scathing backlash has erupted among some US representatives after a secretly recorded phone call revealed that the special envoy to Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, was coaching Moscow on how to handle Donald Trump. The conversation, which has sparked outrage in Washington, saw Witkoff urging Russia to gain control of Donetsk and potentially additional Ukrainian territory in exchange for peace.
The leaked recording, obtained by Bloomberg, exposed a tangled web of US foreign policy under Trump's leadership, with some lawmakers calling for Witkoff's immediate dismissal. Nebraska Republican Don Bacon was among the first to speak out, labeling Witkoff an "actual traitor" and arguing that he cannot be trusted to lead negotiations.
Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania echoed similar sentiments, branding the leak as a major problem that highlights the need for transparency in US diplomacy. He urged Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to do his job with fair and objective guidance.
Democratic representative Ted Lieu took the most extreme stance, calling Witkoff a "traitor" who should be working on behalf of the United States, not Russia. The leaked call revealed that Witkoff had coached Moscow on how to approach Trump, including suggesting that Putin schedule a phone call before meeting with Ukraine's president.
President Trump has defended Witkoff, describing him as a "dealmaker" who uses standard negotiation tactics to secure agreements. However, the controversy surrounding the leaked recording and Witkoff's involvement in coaching Russia on how to handle Trump has left many questioning his credibility.
The US proposal, which would grant significant concessions to Russia in exchange for peace, has sparked international concern. The plan includes giving up control of Donetsk and potentially additional Ukrainian territory, as well as granting Russia control of Luhansk and Crimea. While Putin acknowledged the potential of the US plan earlier this month, the Kremlin claims it has not discussed details with Washington.
The leaked recording has raised questions about the handling of sensitive diplomatic communications and the extent to which Trump's administration is willing to compromise on Ukraine's sovereignty in pursuit of a peace deal.
A scathing backlash has erupted among some US representatives after a secretly recorded phone call revealed that the special envoy to Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, was coaching Moscow on how to handle Donald Trump. The conversation, which has sparked outrage in Washington, saw Witkoff urging Russia to gain control of Donetsk and potentially additional Ukrainian territory in exchange for peace.
The leaked recording, obtained by Bloomberg, exposed a tangled web of US foreign policy under Trump's leadership, with some lawmakers calling for Witkoff's immediate dismissal. Nebraska Republican Don Bacon was among the first to speak out, labeling Witkoff an "actual traitor" and arguing that he cannot be trusted to lead negotiations.
Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania echoed similar sentiments, branding the leak as a major problem that highlights the need for transparency in US diplomacy. He urged Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to do his job with fair and objective guidance.
Democratic representative Ted Lieu took the most extreme stance, calling Witkoff a "traitor" who should be working on behalf of the United States, not Russia. The leaked call revealed that Witkoff had coached Moscow on how to approach Trump, including suggesting that Putin schedule a phone call before meeting with Ukraine's president.
President Trump has defended Witkoff, describing him as a "dealmaker" who uses standard negotiation tactics to secure agreements. However, the controversy surrounding the leaked recording and Witkoff's involvement in coaching Russia on how to handle Trump has left many questioning his credibility.
The US proposal, which would grant significant concessions to Russia in exchange for peace, has sparked international concern. The plan includes giving up control of Donetsk and potentially additional Ukrainian territory, as well as granting Russia control of Luhansk and Crimea. While Putin acknowledged the potential of the US plan earlier this month, the Kremlin claims it has not discussed details with Washington.
The leaked recording has raised questions about the handling of sensitive diplomatic communications and the extent to which Trump's administration is willing to compromise on Ukraine's sovereignty in pursuit of a peace deal.
I don't get why there's such a big deal about this. So, this guy Steve Witkoff was having a conversation with Russia where he's basically saying that if they play nice and talk to Trump, we'll give them some of Ukraine's land? It sounds like a normal negotiation to me... 
I'm not sure why it's such a huge issue. Are we really just going to let Russia take over part of Ukraine because it's supposed to be good for the US? 
Trump's team is as sketchy as a Kardashian family reunion 
. Can't trust these guys with Ukraine's future. 
This guy Steve Witkoff is literally coaching Russia on how to handle Donald Trump... like what kind of crazy negotiation tactic is that?! 
theyre saying he should be fired or something but like why not just keep it on the down low next time? 
i mean, president trump says he's a "dealmaker" but honestly, it sounds like witkoff was playing both sides and trying 2 get something out of it 
Can you believe what's going on? So now they're saying that this guy Witkoff is like, literally coaching Russia on how to deal with Trump? That's wild! Back in my day... we didn't need some special envoy telling us how to negotiate with other countries. I mean, I'm all for making deals and finding common ground, but come on! This whole thing just smells fishy 
.
. And what's with the proposal that includes giving up control of all those territories? That's just crazy talk! What are we even negotiating for here? Peace and quiet? 
That guy thinks he's some kind of master negotiator just because he made a few deals in Vegas. Newsflash, Donald: this isn't poker. This is international diplomacy.
It makes no sense. Trump's all over it like a bad rash, defending this guy Witkoff like he's some kinda hero. Newsflash: coaching Moscow on how to handle him is basically treason,imo. 
The fact that some lawmakers are calling for his dismissal is the least of it - they should be demanding answers from Rubio and Trump about what exactly went down here. This whole situation reeks of a bad deal being negotiated behind closed doors. 
...
This is what happens when you put politics over principle, US is basically selling out Ukraine to get a peace treaty with Russia 
Like, who coaches Russia on how to handle one of their own leaders? 
I mean, is this even a negotiating tactic or just a backroom deal? 
And now it's causing international tension because Putin is playing hardball. 
I just don't get why they can't just work together and find a solution that doesn't involve compromising on Ukraine's sovereignty. 
Can we please just have a clear plan of action without all the drama? 
... and meanwhile we're supposed to trust him, this guy, to make decisions for us on how to handle our foreign policy? I don't know, seems kinda fishy to me 
and now everyone's talking trash about him, but what really gets me is that we don't know all the facts 
. and can we talk about how this says so much about Trump's foreign policy decisions? like, was it all just a big bluff from the start or are we really trying to negotiate our way out of this mess? 
This whole thing is super sketchy, you know? I'm all for making peace, but this US plan just doesn't sit right with me... Like, we're basically offering Russia control over huge swaths of Ukraine just to get them to calm down? It's crazy! 
Like, if we can't trust our envoys to represent us fairly and objectively, how are we supposed to make any real progress with other countries? 
Maybe the real issue here is how US diplomacy worked out under Trump's leadership - some folks say it was too compromising on Ukraine's sovereignty. What if this plan actually brought about something positive?