Donald Trump Has Already Broken His Election Promise — Just Within 48 Hours of Victory

Less than 48 hours after winning the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump has already fallen short of one of his most prominent pre-election promises— to resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine. In a 2023 interview, Trump confidently stated, “I would fix that within 24 hours. And, if I win, before I get into the office, I will have that war settled. A hundred percent sure," as reported by Daily Beast.

However, as of Thursday, there remains no clear end to the war, and recent reports suggest Trump does not have a definitive plan in place. Trump’s transition team has since indicated that the President-Elect is currently exploring various strategies with advisers and allies, with no specific approach yet established for bringing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump criticized President Joe Biden for his approach to the conflict, particularly for supplying Ukraine with military aid and $174 billion in financial support. He also targeted Zelensky directly, referring to him as 'the greatest salesman' in a veiled critique of Ukraine’s appeals for Western support.

Meanwhile, Republican strategist Bryan Lanza, who served as a contractor on Trump’s 2024 campaign, stated in an interview that his administration would seek a 'realistic vision for peace' from Zelensky, as reported by Reuters. Zelensky’s 'victory plan,' presented last month, includes a demand for the complete restoration of Ukrainian territories, including Crimea. “If President Zelenskiy comes to the table and says, well, we can only have peace if we have Crimea, he shows to us that he's not serious. Crimea is gone,” Lanza stated. However, a spokesperson for Trump’s transition team quickly clarified that Lanza’s remarks did not reflect Trump’s official position. They clarified, “Bryan Lanza was a contractor for the campaign. He does not work for President Trump and does not speak for him.” 

During a campaign event in September, Trump himself addressed questions regarding his peace plans but declined to provide details. He stated, “I can’t give you those plans because if I give you those plans, I’m not going to be able to use them.” Reports indicate that Trump recently spoke with both Zelensky and Putin following his electoral victory, though details of these conversations remain undisclosed. Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, stressed, “We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders."

Meanwhile, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed on Sunday that Biden has plans to meet with Trump and emphasized his commitment to address U.S. support for Ukraine. Sullivan added, “President Biden will have the opportunity over the next 70 days to make the case to the Congress and to the incoming administration that the United States should not walk away from Ukraine.”