Watch nearly seven minutes of Sen. Chuck Grassley’s town hall in Fort Madison, Iowa
Sen. Chuck Grassley answered questions about taxes and border security, among other topics during an April 15th town hall in Fort Madison, Iowa.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said Russian President Vladimir Putin “is playing America as a patsy” amid ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, and he urged President Donald Trump to enact tough sanctions.
“IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children,” Grassley wrote on the social media website X April 25. “President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin. U ought to c from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy.”
Former Republican presidential candidate and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, retweeted Grassley, adding “Amen!”
Trump has been pushing for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
And he voiced rare frustration with Putin after Russia launched a barrage of missile and drones strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv that killed at least eight people and injured more than 70 others this week.
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform on April 24. “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Grassley has previously criticized Putin and encouraged a peace deal with Ukraine.
At an April 23 town hall in Northwood, Iowa a constituent asked Grassley about the number of people who have died in the war and how the U.S. should proceed.
“I would put more sanctions on Russia right now,” Grassley said. “And if we don’t want to give more armaments (to Ukraine), we ought to at least have the Patriot missiles so they can protect themselves.”
Des Moines Register reporter Sabine Martin and USA TODAY contributed to this report.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.