Francis Chung/POLITICO by means of AP Images

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) known as for an finish to all armed forces aid to Ukraine after falling for a Russian propaganda video on social media on Wednesday.

Lee shared a video purporting to point out Ukrainian infantrymen burning an effigy of President Donald Trump regarding him as a “bastard” and adding, “You are going to never be president once more.”

The video used to be a repost from former West Virginia GOP state delegate and convicted Jan. 6 rioter Derrick Evans. The so-known as Ukrainians in the video burned Trump’s likeness, to which Evans reacted, “This is DESPICABLE.”

These Ukrainian soldiers are furious over Trump’s choice to cut funding so this is their response.

They threaten President Trump, then they burned an effigy of him, all whereas carrying Ukranian armed forces gear that we possibly paid for.

That is DESPICABLE: %twitter.com/qH86SdgnT7

— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 18, 2025

Evans later posted an update declaring he believed the clip would possibly have been a pretend, writing:

I’ve considered comments claiming this is an old video that was debunked. I’ve been studying. It does seem like an outdated video. I just discovered this on YouTube from Times of India with four.7 million subs from 9 months in the past. Thousands of views & Google by no means hit it with a reality check.

I’ve seen feedback claiming that is an outdated video that used to be debunked. I’ve been getting to know. It does look like an old video.

I just discovered this on YouTube from Times of India with 4.7 million subs from 9 months ago.

Hundreds of views & Google never hit it with a fact check. %twitter.com/YbrUmRo60x

— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 19, 2025

After Evans’ authentic put up and his comment warning viewers the video was once likely a pretend, Lee commented, “Now Not every other dime for Ukraine.”

No longer another dime for Ukraine https://t.co/GQQiUNPY83

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 19, 2025

Mike Lee/X

Mediaite discovered the original YouTube video Evans referred to. A video matching the description of the very one shared with the aid of Evans and Lee was once truth-checked through the Associated Press in December of ultimate year.

One clip amongst a large number of videos reviewed by using the wire carrier matches the description of the images that outraged Lee. The AP said:

Because the U.S. election on Nov. 5, the Kremlin has used state-run media and its networks of faux information sites and social media debts to push divisive narratives about the warfare and The united states’s Republican president-go with.

[…]

Recent examples embrace fake movies supposedly displaying Ukrainian soldiers burning effigies of Trump or his supporters. One clip depicts soldiers pronouncing Trump should not be allowed to take administrative center and will have to “by no means be president again.” More than one researchers have debunked the video, noting telltale indicators of digital manipulation.

The video described via the AP uses the same language shown within the video that outraged Lee – soldiers declaring Trump would “by no means be president once more.”

He used to be elected to a 2d time period in the White Home closing November.

Others who posted the identical clip at different factors ultimate yr were met with a Community Notes message on X, attaching it to a Russian propaganda marketing campaign.

Lee posted the video hours after Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator.”

The submit Outraged GOP Senator Falls for Russian Propaganda Video and Pronounces, ‘Not Any other Dime for Ukraine’ first regarded on Mediaite.