In a series of sharp criticisms, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted the media for its coverage of President Donald Trump’s Alaska Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, claiming despite the goalposts that Trump himself had set but did not meet, it was “highly productive” and “successful.”

President Trump had said the goal of the Alaska talks was a ceasefire, and warned that there would be severe economic consequences for Russia if no ceasefire agreement was reached, as CBS News reported.

No ceasefire agreement came, and Trump declared that to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, Ukraine would need to cede territory to Russia, despite Russia being the aggressor.

But Leavitt on Tuesday told a different story, attacking what she claimed was “the media’s negative and downright false coverage of President Trump and his foreign policy accomplishments.”

READ MORE: Trump Blames Ukraine: ‘You Don’t Take on a Nation That’s Ten Times Your Size’

“Initially, the media ridiculously claimed that President Trump was somehow beholden to Russia for even agreeing to have a face-to-face discussion with President Putin inside of the United States,” she declared. “The media said President Trump was making a grave mistake by, quote, ‘legitimizing Putin.’ They were aghast that President Trump would treat another world leader like a world leader.”

Indeed, many were angered that Putin, who is facing an arrest warrant for war crimes from the International Criminal Court in The Hague, was invited onto U.S. soil and then given the red carpet treatment.

“We also saw yesterday the president of Ukraine and all of the other major leaders of Europe fly across the Atlantic Ocean to meet President Trump at the White House because of the progress that was made, and that if you ask the media failed meeting, but it was not,” she insisted.

Leavitt repeated her claim that the European leaders flew across the ocean on just 48 hours notice because of all the progress that had been made by President Trump.

“In fact, there was so much progress in the readout that was given to these European leaders immediately following his meeting with President Putin that every single one of them got on a plane, 48 hours later, and flew to the United States of America,” Leavitt told reporters.

Seven European leaders attended the White House meeting with President Trump and President Zelenskyy, but some reports suggested it was to show unity and support, not because of any achievements that came from Friday’s meeting.

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“The leaders personally came to support Ukraine and to discuss everything that will bring us closer to real peace, to a reliable security architecture that will protect Ukraine and all of Europe,” President Zelenskyy wrote on Monday night.

“The leaders showed unity, with Zelenskyy and European allies stressing the need for security guarantees in an eventual peace deal to deter Russia from invading in the future,” CBS News reported.

Critics disagreed with Leavitt’s claims.

Veteran journalist Michael McGough labeled Levitt’s remarks the “Spin of the day.”

“This is pure cult spin,” declared Wall Street banker Evaristus Odinikaeze. “European leaders didn’t jump on planes to D.C. because they were inspired by Trump’s ‘progress’ with Putin, they came because they were alarmed and terrified that he was about to sell Ukraine down the river. Leavitt is turning a fire alarm into a fanfare. When allies rush across the Atlantic in 48 hours, it’s not to celebrate, it’s to stop a disaster. In fact, the Finnish President Alex Stubb alluded to this when he told Trump the Finnish history after the Second World War.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

Leavitt: One thing that has not changed is the media’s negative and downright false coverage of President Trump and his foreign policy accomplishments. They said he was making a mistake by legitimizing Putin. They were aghast that he would treat another world leader like a world… pic.twitter.com/qdGmEIG8hB

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 19, 2025

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Image via Reuters

President Donald Trump is blaming Ukraine for being attacked by Russia in President Vladimir Putin’s illegal war against the sovereign nation.

In a rambling and wide-ranging “Fox & Friends” interview on Tuesday, the President covered a lot of ground, including declaring that it would be unfair to Russia to allow Ukraine to become a part of NATO.

“It can’t be NATO because that’s just not something that would ever ever happen. He couldn’t. They couldn’t do that. If you were Russia, who would want to have your enemy, your opponent, sitting on your line? You don’t do that,” Trump said.

Trump then falsely claimed, “It was always thought that Ukraine was a, sort of a buffer between Russia and the rest of Europe — and it was, it was a big, wide buffer — everything worked out well until Biden got involved.”

READ MORE: ‘Exit Through a Gift Shop’: Trump Slammed for Showcasing MAGA Merchandise to World Leaders

Ukraine was promised future entry into NATO at an undetermined date, back in 2008. Finland borders Russia and is a member of NATO. Trump also did not say why there needed to be a “buffer” between Russia and Europe.

Trump also expressed that, he believes, Ukraine will have to give up land to Russia.

Asked what the European leaders thought about “land swaps,” which may or may not include Russia giving back land it took illegally, but no actual Russian land, Trump replied: “While they understand — look, everybody can play cute and this and that, but, you know, Ukraine’s gonna get their life back.”

“They’re gonna stop having people killed all over the place, and they’re gonna get a lot of land,” he claimed, not mentioning that that land belongs to Ukraine.

Then he accused Ukraine of attacking Russia, and suggested they were the provocateur.

“But this was a war, and Russia is a powerful military nation, you know, whether people like it or not, it’s a powerful nation,” Trump said. “It’s a much bigger nation.”

“It’s not a war that should have been started. You don’t do that. You don’t take on a nation that’s ten times your size and you know, military experts — look, look, here, if it wasn’t for the greatest military equipment. We make the greatest military equipment in the world, and we gave them— So, you know, whatever they took — probably a lot of money, too — but they had tremendous, you know, they had the Patriot missile, which is the best in the world.”

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“All the equipment, we make the best equipment in the world by far. Everyone else is like, nothing. So we gave them a lot of equipment. Now, with that said, the Ukrainian soldiers were brave as hell. Cause’s fighting a force that’s much, much bigger. Superior, much more powerful.”

Critics denounced Trump’s claims.

“For the umpteenth time, Trump blames Ukraine for starting the war. Trump can never be trusted. He works for Putin,” wrote podcaster and former GOP congressman Joe Walsh.

“Really crystallizesTrump’s world view that bigger nations can bully smaller ones just because they can,” wrote communications expert Eric Koch.

Watch the video below or at this link.

Trump: “Russia is a powerful military nation whether people like it or not. It’s a much bigger nation. It’s not a war that should have been started, you don’t do that. You don’t take on a nation that’s 10x your size.” pic.twitter.com/0kM0SpJlZr

— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) August 19, 2025

READ MORE: ‘Lies’: In Rant, Trump Falsely Claims States Are Mere ‘Agents’ of Federal Government

Image via Reuters

President Donald Trump is being mocked after a White House aide posted a photo of him showing off his collection of MAGA merchandise to several world leaders inside an area of the White House that appears to be set up like a gift shop.

Leaders from France, Italy, the UK, Germany, and Finland, along with the Secretary General of NATO and the European Commission President attended a White House meeting on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an effort to broker a peace deal over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s illegal war. Trump had snubbed the European leaders’ arrival but later met with them.

Some estimates say up to 350,000 troops have been killed since Putin attacked Ukraine in February of 2022. The number of Ukrainian civilians killed has been estimated to be over 13,000, with tens of thousands wounded and missing.

READ MORE: Trump Pushes Mail-In Ballot Ban While Zelenskyy Waits

“According to the British Ministry of Defence, more than one million Russian troops have been killed or injured since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022,” The Guardian reported in June. “Ukraine has suffered very high losses as well, with between 60,000 and 100,000 personnel killed and total casualties reaching approximately 400,000.”

Some estimates put the number of Ukrainian children kidnapped and taken to Russia to be in the hundreds of thousands. Others put the number at about 35,000.

The shelves of the White House’s MAGA merchandise area appear lined with dozens of hats — thirteen different styles — including ones that read “Trump 2028,” “Gulf of America,” and his iconic “Make America Great Again” and “USA.” There are also towels, several coffee table books, a candle, an engraved tray, and other gift-like items.

Margo Martin, a Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor, from her official White House account, posted the photo (below) and wrote: “President @realDonaldTrump showing President Zelenskyy and President Macron his 4 More Years hat 🤣🇺🇸”

In the photo, President Macron can be seen holding a small wooden box.

Presumably Trump is not selling any of his MAGA merchandise inside the White House, which is on federal property and governed by rules including the Hatch Act. While Presidents are excluded from that law, White House officials are not.

Critics blasted the President.

READ MORE: ‘Don’t Be Surprised’: George Conway Says Trump Might Pull Out of NATO ‘Tonight’

“Imagine, your country is being bombed, your people killed, and not only does this man want to show you his hats, his staff thinks everyone should hear that he showed you his hats,” wrote former journalist Travis Fain.

“Unserious and embarrassing” declared South Dakota Democratic state lawmaker Linda Duba.

“It is against the constitution to run for a 3rd term,” wrote CBS News’ Ryan Sprouse, before citing the Twenty-Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Foreign affairs journalist Olga Nesterova wrote: “Exit through a gift shop.”

One social media user lamented: “I hope everyone realizes that this photo will be seen across the globe. Our ignorant President is a laughing stock. So is our country.”

See the White House image below or at this link.

President @realDonaldTrump showing President Zelenskyy and President Macron his 4 More Years hat 🤣🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/c7dhAkZMuF

— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 19, 2025

READ MORE: ‘Lies’: In Rant, Trump Falsely Claims States Are Mere ‘Agents’ of Federal Government

Image via Reuters