Trump silent on Ukraine drone attacks as MAGA blames "Deep State"

MAGA influencers warned of dark forces at play — and the risk of dangerous escalation — as Ukraine celebrated a historic drone operation targeting Russia's bombing fleet.Why it matters: President Trump has not publicly commented so far on Ukraine's stunning "Spiderweb" operation, in which more than 100 drones infiltrated air bases deep inside Russia and destroyed nuclear-capable bombers.MAGA's alarm over Ukraine's attack — and comparative silence when Russia targets Ukrainian civilians — underscores the movement's deep skepticism of the Western-backed government in Kyiv.While Trump seeks to present himself as a neutral mediator trying to bring broker peace, large swathes of his base see Ukraine — not Russia — as the enemy.Driving the news: Ukraine's successful operation, which took 18 months to covertly plan, delivered a major strategic coup in a war that has otherwise been mired in stalemate and trench warfare.As Ukrainians and their allies praised the breakthrough, some MAGA influencers expressed suspicion and anger that Kyiv had not informed Trump about the operation ahead of time.At best, MAGA treated the attack as counterproductive to nascent peace talks; at worst, they feared an attempt by Ukraine and American "Deep State" actors to drag the U.S. further into the conflict.State of play: Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have failed so far to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire. Peace talks at the staff level have yielded little progress beyond prisoner swaps.Top Trump administration officials — including the president himself, at times — have warned that the U.S. could walk away from the conflict completely if talks do not advance.What they're saying: Pro-Trump influencer Jack Posobiec speculated on Steve Bannon's "War Room" Monday about whether the Biden administration could have been involved in the operation, given that planning began 18 months ago."Seems very much on the interior of Russia. I sure hope America had nothing to do with it," said Charlie Kirk, a top MAGA activist with close White House ties.Rogan O'Handley, who runs the popular DC Draino X account, alleged, without evidence, that the attack was "intentionally conducted to drag America into WW3."Dan Caldwell, a former top Pentagon official who advocates for "America First" foreign policy, warned that the operation "raises risk of direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.""U.S. should not only distance itself from this attack but end any support that could directly or indirectly enable attacks against Russian strategic nuclear forces," Caldwell wrote.Between the lines: MAGA has been nothing if not consistent throughout the war, treating Zelensky as a "globalist" puppet and Ukraine as a backwater of corruption.Zelensky and any Ukrainian military operations against Russian troops have been met with hostility from MAGA for years.Meanwhile, Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure garner sporadic criticism from Trump, but mostly silence from his staunchest supporters.The bottom line: Trump is facing pressure from multiple sides: Republican senators who want tougher sanctions on Russia, and an agitated MAGA base that sees Ukraine as the enemy.

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