President Donald Trump has demonstrated an uncanny ability to command fealty among Republican lawmakers throughout his political career.
And now with Elon Musk publicly pledging to spend $100 million or more to primary any GOP member of congress who objects to any aspect of Trump’s agenda, that fealty is being compelled out in the open, with the administration essentially declaring that GOP dissenters won’t be tolerated — or re-elected.
Yet the aggressiveness with which Musk’s DOGE and Trump’s foreign policy team have moved to reset the federal government and upend the global order has been so swift and comprehensive that some Republicans are shaking their heads (gently) and objecting despite the risks.
When DOGE made obvious errors in its calculations as it pursues the holy grail of “efficiency,” conservative Republican Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) chided the haste and execution of the mission.
“Measure twice before cutting,” he said, a version of the famous axiom “measure twice, cut once.” Bacon, who is hardly anti-Trump, said of DOGE: “They have had to backtrack multiple times.”
But the DOGE domestic errors pale in comparison to what Bacon implies is a much more critical error the Trump administration is making.
Trump today called Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” — claiming that he was unpopular in Ukraine, that half the funds the U.S. provided for Ukraine’s defense went “missing,” and that the U.S. outspent European allies in supporting Ukraine.
Bacon refuted Trump’s assertions point-by-point, beginning with the fact that Russia, not Ukraine, started the war.
Putin started this war. Putin committed war crimes. Putin is the dictator who murdered his opponents. The EU nations have contributed more to Ukraine. Zelensky polls over 50%. Ukraine wants to be part of the West, Putin hates the West. I don’t accept George Orwell’s doublethink.
— Rep. Don Bacon
(@RepDonBacon) February 19, 2025
“Putin started this war. Putin committed war crimes. Putin is the dictator who murdered his opponents,” Bacon wrote. “The EU nations have contributed more to Ukraine. Zelensky polls over 50%. Ukraine wants to be part of the West, Putin hates the West. I don’t accept George Orwell’s doublethink.”
In response to comments, Bacon weighed in with the notion that now is the time and place to draw a line and not, as Europe did in 1938, engage in appeasement.
If we don’t oppose a bully you’ll end up paying more later. Study 1938.
— Rep. Don Bacon
Many commenters point out that Orwell is dead and that the doublethink is being done now — not in a fictional 1984. “It’s Donald Trump’s doublethink,” wrote former Republican prosecutor Ron Filipkowski, “You can say it.”
A fervent anti-Trump account named for a potential third impeachment surfaced a statement by former Vice President Mike Pence in response to the President’s assertions.
Putin LITERALLY waited for the 2022 Winter Olympics to end before invading Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/4ecIHZktzM
— Impeach Trump a 3rd Time! (@Christo12919382) February 19, 2025
Hundreds of responses on X also hit back at Bacon’s temerity in contradicting Trump, with one writing “Zelensky is that bully” and another that “Biden & Obama were the bullies” and many commenters criticizing the 1938 reference as a tired trope meant to “fearmonger.” (“Every year is not 1938,” wrote one.)
On the other side, Republicans Against Trump, a group of non-MAGA GOPers asked Bacon: “What do you plan to DO about Trump trashing Ukraine and openly siding with Putin?”
Couldn’t agree more. What do plan to DO about Trump trashing Ukraine and openly siding with Putin?
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 19, 2025
Trump had written on Truth Social:
“Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never be able to settle. The United States has spent $200 Billion Dollars more than Europe, and Europe’s money is guaranteed, while the United States will get nothing back. Why didn’t Sleepy Joe Biden demand Equalization, in that this War is far more important to Europe than it is to us — We have a big, beautiful Ocean as separation. On top of this, Zelenskyy admits that half of the money we sent him is “MISSING.” He refuses to have Elections, is very low in Ukrainian Polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden “like a fiddle.” A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left. In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only “TRUMP,” and the Trump Administration, can do. Biden never tried, Europe has failed to bring Peace, and Zelenskyy probably wants to keep the “gravy train” going. I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered, and MILLIONS have unnecessarily died – And so it continues…..”