Throughout Friday and Saturday, President Donald Trump has been posting to his Truth Social account regarding his presence in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral, as well as a desire for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Trump even met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while at St. Peter's Basilica. Since that meeting, Trump has posted more so about the need for peace, not just when it comes to sharing a photo of the meeting, but also some strong words for The New York Times as he issued a reminder to the outlet and one writer in particular.
From Donald Trump Truth Social 04/26/25 12:13 PM pic.twitter.com/k9fNMJI9Ee
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 26, 2025
From Donald Trump Truth Social 04/26/25 12:28 PM pic.twitter.com/xVitjhnQht
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 26, 2025
"No matter what deal I make with respect to Russia/Ukraine, no matter how good it is, even if it’s the greatest deal ever made, The Failing New York Times will speak BADLY of it," Trump began, getting right to it in his lengthy post. He also made clear that his issue was specifically with Peter Baker, who it's worth noting recently compared the United States to Russia under Vladimir Putin.
"Liddle’ Peter Baker, the very biased and untalented writer for The Times, followed his Editor’s demands and wrote that Ukraine should get back territory, including, I suppose, Crimea, and other ridiculous requests, in order to stop the killing that is worse than anything since World War II. Why doesn’t this lightweight reporter say that it was Obama who made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired," Trump reminded. "It was also Liddle’ Peter who wrote an absolutely fawning, yet terribly written Biography, on Obama. It was a JOKE! Did Baker ever criticize the Obama Crimea Giveaway? NO, not once, only TRUMP, and I’ve had nothing to do with this stupid war, other than early on, when I gave Ukraine Javelins, and Obama gave them sheets."
Trump's post also contained a reminder he has brought up frequently, which is that Russia invaded Ukraine when his successor/predecessor, President Joe Biden was in office. "This is Sleepy Joe Biden’s War, not mine. It was a loser from day one, and should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened if I were President at the time. I’m just trying to clean up the mess that was left to me by Obama and Biden, and what a mess it is," he reminded, also once more expressing frustration with Putin, just as he did earlier in the week. "With all of that being said, there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through “Banking” or “Secondary Sanctions?” Too many people are dying!!!"
Not only did Putin invade Ukraine under Biden's watch, but a poll conducted not long after the invasion in February 2022 showed that a majority of voters expressed their belief that Putin would not have done so had Trump been in office. Putin no doubt saw weakness from Biden following a particularly egregious foreign policy disaster when it comes to the chaotic withdrawal of Afghanistan, though it was only one of many crises on the world stage under the Biden presidency.
In addition to that February 26 comparison article, Baker put out a particularly unflattering piece on Saturday, "How Trump Plays Into Putin’s Hands, From Ukraine to Slashing U.S. Institutions."
Baker laughably mentions the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk and even finds a way to twist the meeting between Trump and Zelensky from earlier that day, one which Zelensky spoke of over X with a sense of optimism.
Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to… pic.twitter.com/q4ZhVXCjw0
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 26, 2025
As Baker wrote early on in his piece:
Indeed, as Mr. Trump met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on the sidelines of the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, the president’s vision for peace appeared notably one-sided, letting Russia keep the regions it had taken by force in violation of international law while forbidding Ukraine from ever joining NATO.
But that is not all that Mr. Putin has gotten out of Mr. Trump’s return to power. Intentionally or not, many of the president’s actions on other fronts also suit Moscow’s interests, including the rifts he has opened with America’s traditional allies and the changes he has made to the U.S. government itself.
Baker's article quotes the Truth Social post that Trump put out about him, but in a particularly stunning and dishonest move, does not quote Trump's post from Thursday in which he wrote in part, "Vladimir, STOP!"
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