Trump stops U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine; ‘pausing all aspects’ of American war support | Billings News

President Donald Trump has stopped of U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Trump administration characterized the action as part of a broader pause of U.S. support for Ukraine in the war against invading Russian forces.

CIA Director John Radcliffe confirmed the halt in intelligence sharing with Kyiv to Fox News Wednesday.

The U.S. move comes after the U.S. also paused military aid to Ukraine after Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance argued with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over his distrust of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his public push for security guarantees as part of a ceasefire deal.

“We have taken a step back and are pausing and reviewing all aspects of this relationship,” U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said, according to ABC News

Zelenskyy still wants to sign a rare earths deal with Trump that gives the U.S, stakes in Ukraine’s rare earth deposits. The U.S. has not finalized that pact.

Trump has voiced fraternity with Putin, could lift economic sanctions on Russia and its oligarchs put in place after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. voted with the Kremlin on United Nations resolutions marking the third anniversary of the invasion.

The Pentagon has also paused cybersecurity programs related to Russia.

Trump and his team have been reluctant to criticize Putin and quick to fault Zelenskyy including for his distrust of the Russian autocrat.

Trump said during his speech before Congress Tuesday that his focus is on ending the war.

“If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides,” said Trump, who previously voiced trust in Putin and doubts about Zelenskyy’s commitment to end the war.

‘ALIGNS WITH OUR VISION’

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week Trump’s foreign policy aligns with Russia, including opposition to Ukraine entering NATO.

“The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations,” Peskov told Russian state media. “This largely aligns with our vision.”

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and 2002 and Kyiv forged a deal with the U.S., Russia and United Kingdom to give up Soviet nuclear weapons on its soil after the collapse of the USSR.

Democrats have criticized Trump’s approach, accusing him of being too cozy with Putin.

“We have to acknowledge that Russia invaded Ukraine,” said U.S Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who heckled Trump’s speech Tuesday. “President Putin is a dictator.”

Green faulted Trump for his approach to Russia and Ukraine.

“The United States is not a mercenary nation,” said Green of Trump’s demands on Ukraine including the minerals deal.

Green called Trump’s friendliness toward Putin in the war negotiations “unthinkable.”

STAND DOWN

According to the Associated Press and other reports, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the U.S. Cyber Command to pause its technology security efforts related to Russia.

The order does impact U.S. intelligence agencies or the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Agency (CISA).

The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on the status of its Russian cybersecurity efforts.

GOP Trump backers welcomed his pausing of war aid to Ukraine and have echoed White House sentiments that Zelenskyy was ungrateful and out of line for telling the president and vice president not to trust Putin during the White House quarrel.

“I strongly support President Trump in halting U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine. President Trump is working to bring peace and stop the daily slaughter of thousands in the war,” said U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, who has opposed U.S. war funding for Kyiv after the 2022 Russian invasion.

Trump said Monday Zelenskyy “won’t be around very long” if he does not make a deal to end the war against invading Russian forces.

Trump’s comments from the White House were followed by Elon Musk saying on X that Zelenskyy should be exiled.

Musk, a billionaire and the richest person in the world, has emerged as a top Trump advisor leading the U.S. administration’s DOGE austerity program.

Trump said Monday he believes Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin want to make a deal to end the war and the Ukrainian people want to stop the bloodshed. But Trump said he does not believe Zelenskyy wants to stop the war.

“Maybe somebody doesn’t want to make a deal. and if somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long. That person will not be listened to very long,” Trump said alluding to Zelenskyy.

That’s in contrast to Trump’s continued fraternal overtures to Russia and Putin.

“I believe Russia wants to make a deal,” Trump said from the White House Monday.

TRUMP’S ‘EMBRACE’

A number of Republicans and Trump loyalists have called for Zelenskyy to step down if he does not get with the U.S. program of ending the war, despite Ukraine’s reservations about trusting Putin and the Kremlin.

Musk followed up on Trump’s comments with a social media post saying an exile situation “should be offered” to Zelenskyy.

“As distasteful as it is, Zelenskyy should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine,” Musk said.

Musk said Sunday he supports the U.S. leaving NATO and the United Nations.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Saturday she is worried about  Trump’s “embrace” of Putin.

“This week started with administration officials refusing to acknowledge that Russia started the war in Ukraine. It ends with a tense, shocking conversation in the Oval Office and whispers from the White House that they may try to end all U.S. support for Ukraine. I know foreign policy is not for the faint of heart, but right now, I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and U.S. values around the world,” Murkowski said in a social media post.