During a gala dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Florida retreat on Thursday, Trump addressed both Russia and Ukraine, saying the war “has got to stop.”
“I saw a report today; thousands of people over the last three days were killed,” he continued. “Thousands and thousands of people were killed. They happen to be soldiers, but, whether they’re soldiers or people sitting in towns, we’re going to work it.”
During the U.S. election campaign, Trump said he would find a solution to end the war "within a day," but failed to provide detail on how he would do this. He also said that he could end the war even before he entered the White House in January.
Trump also praised Tulsi Gabbard, his pick for the position of director of National Intelligence, who will, if appointed, oversee U.S. intelligence agencies like the C.I.A., F.B.I. and the National Security Agency, which gathers intelligence.
Her nomination drew widespread criticism due to Gabbard’s lack of experience in intelligence and accusations that she has spread Russian propaganda.
Gabbard’s selection also prompted speculation from former intelligence officials that the security services of U.S. allies might consider withholding information.
Trump also thanked entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who will head the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency, which will be tasked with reducing wasteful federal spending.
