Trump’s unwillingness to label Putin a war criminal underscores divisions among Republicans

Donald Trump’s defense of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in his televised CNN City Hall caused some Republicans on Capitol Hill to once again act cautiously, risking a run-in with the party’s lead candidate for the presidential nomination.

Among them: Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California).

At City Hall on Wednesday night, Trump declined to call Vladimir Putin a war criminal despite numerous reports of atrocities such as torture and the use of rape as a weapon of war by Russians in Ukraine.

He also declined to say which side he supported, recalling his observation of “very good people on both sides” about the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017.

“If you say he’s a war criminal, it becomes a lot harder to get a deal to end this,” Trump said in the city Hall. “If he becomes a war criminal, people will grab him and execute him. He will fight a lot harder than under the other circumstances. That is something that will have to be discussed later.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially stated this war crimes And crimes against humanity have been committed by Russians in Ukraine since the final phase of the war began in February 2022.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Putinciting “the war crime of illegal deportation of the population and illegal transfer of the population from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation to the detriment of Ukrainian children.”

Trump also declined to say he supports Ukraine or Russia, although Russia’s biggest international support these days comes only from other authoritarian regimes in China, Iran and North Korea.

“Russians and Ukrainians, I want them to stop dying,” he said. Earlier, Trump said he had considered not objecting to Russia retaining part of Ukraine’s territory mediate peacea result that many experts believe would be satisfactory for Putin.

When asked Thursday if he was concerned about Trump’s remarks, McCarthy held back and said Putin was responsible for “atrocities” but did not criticize Trump.

“I think we have been very clear about the atrocities that Russia and Putin have presented to this world. I think we made our views very clear when we voted. I think we’re leading the way with exactly what we’ve done,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy’s tone was different from May Day when asked during a trip to Israel if he would support an end US aid to Ukraine.

“I do not support what your country has done to Ukraine. I don’t support your killing of the children either,” McCarthy replied to a Russian reporter.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has not only called Russia’s actions in Ukraine war crimes or crimes against humanity, but also called them “genocide.”

“I had a war crimes hearing with him [Ukrainian] Attorney General. Bucha [Ukraine] Gravesites, killing and raping little girls, bombings on maternity hospitals, mobile crematoria, I mean, that’s pretty bad stuff,” McCaul told HuffPost on Thursday.

But McCaul balked at criticizing Trump for his comments.

“I know that many of his top advisors tell him why Ukraine matters. I can’t speak for him,” McCaul said.

Some Republicans agree with Trump’s view, although it’s unclear what their stake in the party is. A letter A call for President Joe Biden in April to warn him about “unlimited” arms supplies got the signatures of just 19 Republicans from 222 members of the Republican House of Representatives and 49 senators.

The Republicans in the Senate are more willing to support Ukraine. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) said Thursday he would not endorse Trump as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, in part because of Trump’s stance on Putin.

“President Putin and his government have committed war crimes. I don’t think that’s controversial.” Young told CNN.

“I think President Trump’s judgment in this case is wrong.”