Trump and Putin Feud Escalates

As Russia's military assault on Ukraine intensifies, key Russia-linked allies are turning on Trump's domestic agenda.

Donald Trump's public war with Vladimir Putin isn't just damaging their personal relationship—it's causing Russia's entire influence network in America to turn against Trump's legislative agenda. The fracturing reveals how deeply Russian interests have penetrated Trump's coalition.

Putin Goes Nuclear

The Trump-Putin bromance has exploded into open threats. After Trump called Putin "absolutely CRAZY" and warned he was "playing with fire" following Russia's massive Ukraine assault, Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev fired back with a nuclear warning: "I only know one REALLY BAD thing — World War III. I hope Trump understands this!" Russian state media now openly mocks Trump's warnings as inconsistent theater.

This marks a dramatic shift from their earlier phone calls where Putin called conversations "substantive and quite candid." The public nature of this feud signals complete breakdown in their private negotiations over Ukraine.

Russia-Linked Senators Sabotage Trump's Bill

As Putin-Trump relations crater, senators with documented Russian ties are systematically undermining Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." Rand Paul—who famously hand-delivered a letter from Trump to Putin in 2018—has vowed to block the legislation unless Republicans strip out debt ceiling provisions. Ron Johnson—who spent July 4th, 2018 in Moscow and has consistently parroted Russian talking points—pledged to vote against it unless federal spending gets slashed to 2019 levels.

Johnson's warning to Trump reveals the depths of this betrayal: "In the House, President Trump can threaten a primary. You can't pressure me that way." These aren't principled fiscal conservatives—they're Russia-affiliated senators sabotaging Trump's domestic agenda as Moscow's relationship with Trump deteriorates.