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How Donald Trump's weapon deal with Ukraine is inviting Maga ire
US President Donald Trump has taken a harsher line on Vladimir Putin recently. Reuters File
Since the moment he announced he was running for president, Donald Trump's base has had unshakable faith in him.
They stayed with him through the Access Hollywood tape when it looked like his campaign was at an end.
They remained loyal after he was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 election and during the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Trump himself had boasted about his followers' loyalty, saying he could probably get away with shooting someone on 5th Avenue.
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However, seven months into his second term, the Make America Great Again (Maga) movement seems to be growing more upset with Trump.
Why is this happening?
Because of the Ukraine war, which Trump vowed to end 'within 24 hours' of taking office.
But it's not so much as the war continuing itself.
More specifically, it's about Washington sending weapons to Kyiv to defend itself.
But what happened? What is Maga world saying?
Let's take a closer look:
What happened?
Trump returned to the Oval Office as the 'anti-war candidate'.
He claimed that Kamala Harris getting the top job would make World War III an inevitability.
He vowed to bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine quickly and painlessly.
He had criticised the US' proclivity to get into 'forever wars' or endless wars.
He repeatedly vowed that he was going to 'stop wars' instead of starting them.
As a candidate during the previous elections, he had also taken shots at the 'warmongers and America-last' globalists including his rivals Nikki Haley in 2024 and Jeb Bush in 2016.
'Let's kill people all over the place and let's make a lot of money for those people that make the messes', Trump said of Haley in January 2024.
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'We should have never been in Iraq,' Trump said in February 2016. 'They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none and they knew that there were none.'
However, his actions as president during his 2nd term have been nearly diametrically opposed to what he said on the campaign trail.
Not only has Trump supported Israel's war in Gaza, he has also conducted airstrikes on the Houthis.
Many in his Maga base, whose patience and love for Israel runs deep, have backed him up on this.
Some even supported Trump bombing Iran's nuclear facilities.
A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, takes off at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on April 14, 2023. (Representative Photo, Credit: US Air Force)
However, it looks like Trump's decision to send weapons to Ukraine to help in its war with Russia may be one war too many for the Maga faithful.
Trump on Monday announced that the United States would be sending weapons to Ukraine via Nato.
Trump, during a meeting with Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, announced that the organisation would pay for the weapons.
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'We've made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons and they're going to be paying for them', Trump said.
He also warned Russia to end the war with Ukraine in 50 days.
Trump on Sunday had said the US would send Ukraine 'various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment'.
'We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,' Trump added.
While Trump didn't specify the number of Patriot batteries to be sent he said 'they're going to have some because they do need protection'.
Trump has long since called for other nations in Nato to increase their defence spending.
Many in the orthodox wing of the Republican Party, known as the hawks, have erupted with joy.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a huge Trump supporter, said it was a turning point'.
'The game, regarding [Vladimir] Putin's invasion of Russia, is about to change', Graham added.
This decision came a week after the Pentagon paused the flow of weapons to Ukraine.
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This decision, seemingly made by the deputy defence secretary and signed off by his boss Pete Hegseth, was initially celebrated by some in the Maga camp.
Trump in recent weeks has taken a harsher line on Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he previously praised.
These recent events have cast a pall over Maga world, many of whom have taken a stance that is just short of being pro-Russia.
What is Maga world saying?
Some in Maga world are furious with Trump's decision.
Republican Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene on social media slammed 'backdoor deals through Nato'.
Greene said the development was in stark contrast to what she promised voters on the campaign trail.
'It's not just Ukraine; it's all foreign wars in general and a lot of foreign aid,' she said. 'This is what we campaigned on. This is what I promised also to my district. This is what everybody voted for. And I believe we have to maintain the course.'
'Without a shadow of a doubt, our tax dollars are being used', she added. 'I said it on every rally stage: no more money to Ukraine. We want peace. We just want peace for those people,' she said. 'And guess what? People haven't changed'.
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Surface-to-air missile launchers of the Patriot (Wisla) system newly added into the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) at an army base in Sochaczew, Poland. File image/Reuters
Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who many during the first term referred to as 'Trump's brain', also slammed the decision.
Bannon on his podcast called the Ukraine conflict a "European war".
'Ukraine is getting so dangerous", Bannon said.
'It's a European war. Let Europe deal with it'. 'They have the resources. They have the manpower'.
'We're about to arm people we have literally no control over', Bannon added. 'This is old-fashioned, grinding war in the bloodlands of Europe - and we're being dragged into it'.
A former Trump campaign official said Europe buying the weapons somewhat mitigates the anger from the Maga base.
'But we still hate it,' the official told Politico. 'This is not our war, and escalation isn't in America's interest'.
The larger question is if this Ukraine decision will cause Trump's base to turn on him in the long run.
Ukraine unpopular with Republicans
Data show that Ukraine isn't very popular with Republicans.
Just 59 per cent of Republicans think the US is helping Ukraine 'too much,' as per a March poll.
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That number was at 56 per cent in another poll.
Just 1 in 10 Republicans want the US more involved in the conflict.
There are also little concerns about Russia within the party.
Rescue workers extinguish a fire of a house destroyed by a Russian strike in Markhalivka village, Kyiv region, Ukraine. AP file/Representative image
Only 25 per cent of Republican-leaning Americans said they are 'extremely' or 'very' concerned about Russia defeating Ukraine in a March poll.
Only 29 per cent said they were concerned that Russia would invade other nations.
A mere 40 per cent think Russia is the 'enemy'.
A Reuters poll also showed 58% of Republicans tended to agree with the statement 'the problems of Ukraine are none of our business, and we should not interfere.'
A majority of Republicans (63-34) also oppose sending weapons and money to Ukraine.
Remember, the base right now is already irate at Trump over his handling of the files related to the Jeffrey Epstein allegations.
While Trump has called on his supporters to 'move on' from the Epstein saga, many Maga supporters show no signs of being inclined to do so.
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However, history shows that the Maga faithful have always trailed in the direction that Trump led them in.
While the idea of conducting strikes on Iran initially repulsed some on the right, eight in 10 Republicans afterwards backed up their Commander-in-Chief.
Since so many in Maga land have stuck with Trump through thick and thin, it is unlikely that Ukraine will be the final straw.
With inputs from agencies
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Key Points to Ponder: • What are the democratic implications of lowering the voting age to 16 in the UK? • How lowering the voting age to 16 in the UK can affect political representation and legitimacy? • How automatic voter registration and new voter ID rules together could reform UK electoral processes? • What are the arguments for and against allowing 16–17 year olds to vote? • Compare the UK's decision to lower voting age with similar moves in Scotland, Wales? • What India can learn from this move? Key Takeaways: • If approved by Parliament, the move will bring the rest of the UK in line with Scotland and Wales, where 16- and 17-year-olds can already vote in devolved elections. Deputy PM Angela Rayner said the reforms are part of efforts to 'break down barriers to participation.' • The changes come amid concerns over declining voter turnout, with the 2024 general election seeing just 59.7 per cent participation, the lowest since 2001. Research cited by Parliament suggests that 16-year-olds are more likely to vote than those turning 18. • Alongside enfranchising younger voters, the reform package includes strict new rules to counter foreign interference and financial loopholes in political donations. Do You Know: • Key changes include: —Closing legal loopholes that allow foreign money to enter UK elections via shell companies. —Requiring political parties to verify that donor companies generate income in the UK or Ireland. —Imposing stronger fines — up to £500,000 — for violations. —Making false or misleading donor declarations a criminal offence. Though the package was welcomed by transparency campaigners, it stops short of introducing a cap on individual political donations. • Currently, any UK-registered company can donate to a political party regardless of its origin, activity, or ownership — a loophole the government now aims to address through new legitimacy tests. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UK to lower voting age to 16 in landmark electoral reform EXPLAINED How scientists detected a colossal merger of black holes Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life What's the ongoing story: Scientists have reported the discovery of gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes that are the biggest to have been observed in such an event. Black hole mergers are rare but some of the most spectacular events in the universe, releasing massive amounts of energy that are propagated to a very large distance through gravitational waves. Key Points to Ponder: • What is a black hole? • The concept of Black hole was given by whom? • What is gravitational waves? • What creates gravitational waves? • How do gravitational waves affect Humans? • Know the significance of GW231123 in extending our knowledge of gravitational-wave astronomy and black hole. • What are the three stages of a binary black hole merger (inspiral, merger, ringdown)? • How big are black holes-Know about stellar-mass black holes and supermassive black holes. Key Takeaways: • Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime created by movements of massive objects, just like the movement of a boat in a lake produces ripples in water. But these are extremely weak, and only gravitational waves produced in very big events, like the merger of two black holes, can be detected by instruments on Earth. • One of the black holes was 140 times the mass of the Sun in our solar system, the other 100 times bigger. Their merger resulted in a black hole that was about 225 times larger than the Sun. The previous record for such mergers detected through gravitational waves in 2021 involved black holes about 80 and 65 times larger than the Sun. • Two black holes, one of them 140 times more massive than the Sun, and the other 100 times bigger, merged to result a black hole estimated to be about 225 times the size of the Sun. • GW231123 will be presented at the 24th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (GR24) and the 16th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, held jointly as the GR-Amaldi meeting in Glasgow, UK, from July 14-18, 2025. Do You Know: • LIGO, which stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, is a set of two detectors in the United States that was the first one to detect gravitational waves in 2015. That discovery gave the first experimental validation of the existence of gravitational waves, which had theoretically been proposed in Einstein's General Theory of Relativity 100 years ago. It had resulted in a Nobel Prize two years later. • The first detection of gravitational waves, in 2015, was made by the two observatories in the United States. After that, a few more observatories have come up, notably the Virgo detector in Italy and the KAGRA (Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector) in Japan. Together, these are known as the LVK collaboration. The latest discovery has come from this collaboration. • Incidentally, the LIGO is proposed to have a third observatory, this one in India, to be called the LIGO-India observatory, but its construction is running way behind schedule. • It was originally supposed to begin operations in 2024, but a final government approval earmarking Rs 2,600 crore for the project came only in 2023. The Department of Atomic Energy, which is handling the project, has selected a site in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra to set up this observatory. As per the latest information, the construction of the project is expected to start later this year and be completed by April 2030. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Scientists detect signals of biggest black hole merger Cutting sugar, oil: Why govt wants to 'nudge' people to eat healthy Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. What's the ongoing story: The Union Health Secretary, Puniya Salila Srivastava, recently wrote to all ministries and government departments, urging them to display information on sugar and fat content in everyday foods in their offices and other public institutions. It also proposed doing so in schools and offices at large. Key Points to Ponder: • Who issued the advisory to display 'Oil and Sugar Boards' in workplaces? • What did the advisory say? • Why is this being done? • How big is the obesity problem in India? • Are all fats bad in food? How much is too much? • What are ultra-processed foods and trans fats? • How much sugar should we be consuming? Key Takeaways: • However, some media reports claimed that 'warning labels' will be issued for snacks such as samosas and jalebis, raising questions of why Indian snacks were selectively chosen. • West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also said, 'Some media have reported that apparently samosas/jalebis cannot be consumed from now on, based on instructions from the Health Ministry. • The June 21 letter said, 'We are proposing display of Sugar and Oil Boards as an initiative to promote healthier dietary habits in various settings. These boards serve as visual behavioural nudges…' • These boards are to serve as visual reminders to prompt people to eat healthier, in line with the government's recent focus on combating the rising incidence of obesity in India. They will not be the same as warning labels, like the ones seen on tobacco packaging and mandated by law. Do You Know: • Designed by the apex food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), one such board said that a person should consume only around 27 to 30 grams of fat in a day. It depicted snacks such as samosa, kachori, and vadapav, along with their fat content. For reference, one samosa (100 g) yields 362 kilocalories (kcal) with 28 g of fat, while a burger has 590 kcal with 20.5 g of fat. • Similarly, the sugar boards said that adults should not consume more than 25 g of sugar per day and children not more than 20 g. They showed the sugar content in soft drinks, chocolates, gulab jamun, and flavoured juices. One gulab jamun (62 g) releases 203 kcal and 32 g of sugar. • With obesity on the rise — along with associated increases in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and some cancers — the government has been undertaking several activities to improve food habits. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to adopt an active, healthy lifestyle and reduce oil consumption by 10%. • The Union Health Secretary's letter, quoting The Lancet medical journal's Global Burden of Disease study, says that the number of obese and overweight adults in India is projected to increase from around 18 crores in 2021 to 44.9 crores by 2050. This will make India the country with the second-highest global burden. • Fats are not inherently bad — in fact, some categories of fats are needed for the body to function properly. The Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) National Nutrition Guideline suggests that people should try to get as much of their daily requirement of fats from seeds, nuts, pulses, and beans as possible. • Ultra-processed foods are high in fats, sugars, and salts, and the term generally includes industrially produced foods that contain ingredients not available in home kitchens. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍India may have second-largest overweight or obese population by 2050: What new studies reveal For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Priya Kumari Shukla is a Senior Copy Editor in the Indian Express (digital). She contributes to the UPSC Section of Indian Express (digital) and started niche initiatives such as UPSC Key, UPSC Ethics Simplified, and The 360° UPSC Debate. The UPSC Key aims to assist students and aspirants in their preparation for the Civil Services and other competitive examinations. It provides valuable guidance on effective strategies for reading and comprehending newspaper content. The 360° UPSC Debate tackles a topic from all perspectives after sorting through various publications. The chosen framework for the discussion is structured in a manner that encompasses both the arguments in favour and against the topic, ensuring comprehensive coverage of many perspectives. Prior to her involvement with the Indian Express, she had affiliations with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as several coaching and edutech enterprises. In her prior professional experience, she was responsible for creating and refining material in various domains, including article composition and voiceover video production. She has written in-house books on many subjects, including modern India, ancient Indian history, internal security, international relations, and the Indian economy. She has more than eight years of expertise in the field of content writing. Priya holds a Master's degree in Electronic Science from the University of Pune as well as an Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from the esteemed Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, widely recognised as one of the most prestigious business schools in India. She is also an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia University Residential Coaching Academy (RCA). Priya has made diligent efforts to engage in research endeavours, acquiring the necessary skills to effectively examine and synthesise facts and empirical evidence prior to presenting their perspective. Priya demonstrates a strong passion for reading, particularly in the genres of classical Hindi, English, Maithili, and Marathi novels and novellas. Additionally, she possessed the distinction of being a cricket player at the national level. Qualification, Degrees / other achievements: Master's degree in Electronic Science from University of Pune and Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta ... Read More
