Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), an established critic of President Trump’s, stated he thinks hundreds of thousands of American citizens are ashamed of the president “for the first time” over his efforts to strike a maintain Ukraine to realize get entry to to its mineral wealth.
“I think millions and millions and millions of Americans watching this not only disagree with the president, but — maybe for the first time — are just downright ashamed of the president because we have betrayed an ally,” Schiff instructed CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in an interview Wednesday night.
“We’ve not only betrayed an ally, but we’ve betrayed our principles,” he persisted. “Are we to be nothing except transactional now? We have no commitment to democracy, no commitment to our allies. It’s all going to be about the money. That seems to be Donald Trump’s orientation, but what a sad chapter of our history.”
The pointy complaint comes forward of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s anticipated discuss with to the White Space on Friday, when President Trump stated they’re going to finalize a long-sought minerals deal between the 2 international locations.
At a information convention on Wednesday, Zelensky stated a framework to an financial deal were reached however that the deal didn’t come with any safety promises, which Zelensky has stated is important.
The deal would give the U.S. get entry to to Ukraine’s uncommon earth minerals, which Trump has framed as some way for Ukraine to pay off the U.S. for the help it has already despatched all the way through the Biden management. However Zelensky has stated he first wishes to grasp the place the U.S. stands on persisted army beef up — a subject he expects to talk about all the way through his discuss with.
Trump, in pronouncing the Ukraine assembly, stated on Wednesday, “I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much,” including, “We’re going to have Europe do that.”
Schiff blasted Trump for the remark, all the way through Schiff’s interview Wednesday.
“This is an effort to pressure Zelensky into giving up something for nothing,” Schiff said. “And I have to say, this — on top of the resolution at the United Nations where the United States sided with Russia, betrayed Ukraine — is one of the most shameful incidents in modern history.”