Trump Hits Back at Senator Chris Murphy Over Alaska Meeting Criticism
Image source AP via TNE
Washington, Aug 18 (TheTrendingPeople.com) — Former U.S. President Donald Trump has lashed out at Democratic Senator Chris Murphy after the Connecticut lawmaker harshly criticized Trump’s high-profile Alaska meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Murphy, speaking to NBC News, described the talks as “a disaster” and “an embarrassment for the United States,” claiming that Putin “got everything he wanted” from the summit. Trump, in response, dismissed Murphy as a “lightweight” who was making peace negotiations harder.
Trump’s Sharp Response on Truth Social
In a fiery post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump escalated his attack, writing:
“The very unattractive (both inside and out!) Senator from Connecticut, Chris Murphy, said ‘Putin got everything that he wanted.’ Actually, ‘nobody got anything,’ too soon, but getting close.”
Trump went on to accuse Murphy, along with former National Security Advisor John Bolton and others, of obstructing peace efforts.
“Murphy is a lightweight who thinks it made the Russian President look good in coming to America. Actually, it was very hard for President Putin to do so. This war can be ended, NOW, but stupid people like Chris Murphy, John Bolton, and others, make it much harder to do so,” Trump added.
Murphy: “An Embarrassment for the US”
Murphy doubled down on his criticism, asserting that Putin’s visit gave him an undue platform on U.S. soil:
“That meeting was a disaster, it was an embarrassment for the United States. It was a failure. Putin got everything he wanted. I mean, first of all, he wanted that photo-op. He wanted to be absolved of his war crimes in front of the world. He was invited to the United States. War criminals are not normally invited to the United States of America.”
Inside the Alaska Meeting
Trump and Putin met at the Arctic Warrior Convention Centre in Alaska, accompanied by top officials from both sides, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The three-hour talks were described by Trump as “productive,” though no ceasefire was announced. Both leaders said progress had been made on a possible framework to end the Ukraine war.
“It’s not a done deal at all,” Trump told Fox News after the meeting. “And Ukraine has to agree. President Zelensky has to agree.”
Ukraine and Europe React
Following the Alaska summit, Trump briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Trump has been urging Zelensky to move toward a quick settlement, insisting that Ukraine should:
- Surrender its claim to Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.
- Commit never to join NATO.
On Truth Social, Trump reiterated:
“President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!)… and no going into NATO by Ukraine. Some things never change!”
European leaders, however, remain cautious. They fear Trump could pressure Zelensky into accepting Moscow’s conditions, undermining Ukraine’s long-term sovereignty and weakening Western unity against Russia.
The Road Ahead
While Trump has touted the Alaska summit as a breakthrough, the absence of concrete commitments has fueled skepticism in Washington and across Europe. Murphy and other critics argue that the talks risk legitimizing Putin without securing meaningful concessions.
With Ukraine’s battlefield situation still tense and NATO allies wary of Trump’s diplomatic style, the path forward remains uncertain.
Final Thoughts from The Trending People
The Alaska meeting has underscored deep divisions in U.S. politics over how to end the Ukraine war. For Trump, presenting himself as a dealmaker willing to talk directly with Putin strengthens his image among supporters. For Democrats like Chris Murphy, however, the summit symbolizes weakness and a dangerous concession to Moscow.
As Trump continues to push for a swift peace settlement—on terms critics say heavily favor Russia—the coming weeks will reveal whether his direct diplomacy can deliver results or whether it will deepen the rift both at home and abroad.