The Atlantic: Trump lost the battle for Ukraine in Congress, but maybe also the one for the White House

Donald Trump is gradually losing influence in the Republican Party, a clear sign of which was the adoption of the aid package for Ukraine in the lower house of Congress. This also points to the increasing probability of Trump’s defeat in the presidential elections in November this year, writes The Atlantic.

The publication notes that Donald Trump has unequivocally dominated the Republican Party for 9 years, despite his views and rhetoric often contradicted the fundamentals of the party’s political platform. This included Trump’s love of Russia and Putin, which was incomprehensible to other Republicans.

In the end, Trump managed to introduce a principle into the party: if you want to have his loyalty, become an enemy of Ukraine. This explains why traditionally loyal to Ukraine Republicans for a long time they blocked new aid to Kyiv – to please Trump.

It’s not just Trump’s stance on Ukraine that irritates many Republicans, however. Earlier this year, Trump scuttled a bipartisan deal to strengthen the border with Mexico. A deal that appealed to many Republicans.

“Three months later, Trump’s own party in Congress turned against him — and not because of a personal vendetta against some Trump-loyal gossipmongers, but because of one of Trump’s most intractable issues — his commitment to Russia regarding Ukraine“, writes The Atlantic.