President Donald Trump's seven-word response to Ukraine's massive drone attack on Vladimir Putin's residence has sent shockwaves through Washington's military-industrial establishment: "Thank God we did not give Zelensky Tomahawk missiles."
The statement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Ukraine launched 91 long-range drones at Putin's state residence in the Novgorod region between December 28th and 29th. While all drones were intercepted, Trump immediately recognized the catastrophic implications had America provided Ukraine with more powerful weaponry.
"If those had been Tomahawk missiles instead of drones we would not be talking about peace negotiations. We would be in fallout shelters," according to analysis from Next News Network's latest report.
However, conflicting intelligence has emerged on social media, with reports suggesting Putin may have misrepresented the target. One post claimed "US intel says Putin lied about Ukrainian drones targeting his residence during the Trump-Zelensky summit. They confirm Ukraine drones hit a military facility in the Novgorod region — nowhere near Putin's residence."
Congressional War Profiteers Under Fire
Trump's peace efforts are facing resistance from an unexpected source: members of Congress with financial stakes in defense contractors. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has publicly questioned how many Washington lawmakers hold stock portfolios tied to companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, suggesting some colleagues are "sabotaging peace negotiations for profit."
With 26,000 soldiers reportedly dying last month alone, Trump has made ending the bloodshed his priority. He spent two and a half hours on the phone with Putin in what he described as "very productive" discussions about territory, security guarantees, and ending the war.
Following his conversation with Putin, Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, delivering a stark warning: "You are better off making a deal now."
High-Level Peace Team Assembled
Trump has announced the formation of a working group to finalize peace agreement details, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The President claims negotiations are "95 percent of the way to a deal" with resolution possible within weeks.
As Trump works to "starve the beast" of the war machine, Americans face a critical choice between supporting peace negotiations or risking further escalation that could eventually involve U.S. forces directly in the conflict.