A Republican group is taking to the airwaves of Fox News to remind the right-wing network’s viewers that just last week, Donald Trump loved Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan to attack Ukraine.
A new ad from the Republican Accountability Project replays Trump’s praise of Putin as “genius” and “savvy,” then juxtaposes the former president’s words against footage of the devastation in Ukraine:
“Vladimir Putin is an enemy of the United States and an enemy of democracy,” Sarah Longwell, the group’s executive director, said in a news release. “It’s unconscionable that a former U.S. president would call a tyrant like Putin ‘smart’ as he attacks innocent people.”
The spot will run during Tucker Carlson’s show next week. Carlson, like Trump, has also repeatedly defended and praised Putin, and ― also like Trump ― is now attempting to backpedal.
The Republican Accountability Project said another right-wing network, Newsmax, refused to air the ad.
The never-Trump conservative organization has also been working against GOP lawmakers who enabled Trump and the Jan. 6 insurrection with a series of ads on Fox News, billboard campaigns and an online Hall of Shame.