Critics have lashed out at President-elect Donald Trump after a key adviser appeared to renege on a major campaign promise.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he will end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, or even sooner.
But retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, a Trump appointee, told Fox News last week that it would take longer, echoing earlier comments from Trump himself.
“Let’s make it 100 days and then work all the way back to figure out a way we can do this in the short term to make sure the solution is solid, sustainable and this war is over so we Stop the massacre,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, kicking off a costly and brutal campaign. The Pentagon estimated last year that more than 600,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded in the conflict, and Ukraine said last month that 43,000 troops had been killed and another 370,000 wounded.
Kellogg told Fox News he has “full confidence” in Trump’s ability to end the bloodshed.
“I think what people need to understand is that he’s not trying to give something to Putin or the Russians,” Kellogg said. “He’s actually trying to save Ukraine and save their sovereignty, and he’s going to make sure that’s fair.”
However, his 100-day timetable falls far short of Trump’s repeated promises to end the war more quickly.
“I’m going to fix this within 24 hours, and if I win, I’m going to fix this war before I take office,” Trump said in 2023.
Trump walked back that statement last week when asked about the timeline.
“I’m hoping for six months,” Trump told reporters at a press conference last week. “I wish it had been six months ago.”
Critics of the president-elect offered a blunt reminder of his previous promises to end the war more quickly:
