A major blow is being prepared for Trump in the US: his friends, his deals with Putin, and Musk's billions are at risk

Donald Trump risks facing widespread resistance in his own country. Democrats are preparing an offensive against his inner circle, seeking to limit the president’s authority regarding sanctions against Russia and secure a new $15 billion aid package for Ukraine. The business interests of Trump’s special envoys and contracts involving Elon Musk’s companies are also at risk.

Will Congress be able to derail Trump’s agreements with the Kremlin, why might Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff face investigation, and how will the internal struggle in the U.S. affect Ukraine? – Yuriy Rashkin, a U.S. civic and political activist, explained to 24 Channel.

The Battle Over the Defense Budget and the Ukrainian Issue

The political situation in the United States is rapidly turning into an open confrontation between Donald Trump and the Democratic Party. Aware of the risks to international security, Democrats have launched an active campaign to neutralize the destructive initiatives of the future president.

Financial aid to Ukraine is becoming the main battleground. Lawmakers plan to use the NDAA (the annual defense budget bill) as a tool for exerting pressure. The idea is to include a $15 billion aid package for Ukraine directly in this document, which is of critical importance to the U.S. military.

Trump is expected to try to veto this bill, as he is categorically unwilling to help Kyiv. However, this is precisely where the key strategy lies: the issue of supporting Ukraine still enjoys significant bipartisan support.

If the Democrats manage to join forces with moderate Republicans, they will be able to override the presidential veto. This will not only provide Kyiv with the necessary resources ahead of a harsh winter but will also deal a serious political blow to Trump himself, demonstrating the limits of his power.

In addition, Congress intends to eliminate the so-called “Lindsey Graham switch” – a mechanism that allowed Trump, at his own discretion, to ignore or impose sanctions, thereby undermining the essence of the laws that had been passed.

Full interview with Rashkin: watch the video

A preemptive strike against Trump’s inner circle

In parallel with these budget maneuvers, Democrats are launching a large-scale legal and investigative offensive against Trump’s key allies. Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have come under scrutiny.

Their potential business interests and questionable "diesel deals" have already become the subject of an investigation. Inquiries have been sent to ports, banks, and other institutions.

Witkoff, who attempted to act as a shadow negotiator with the Kremlin, has found himself in an extremely vulnerable position. Any agreements with the U.S. must be ratified by institutions, not private individuals.

Elon Musk faces no less serious problems. U.S. lawmakers are demanding that all documents related to the deliberate slowdown of the Starlink satellite network in October be preserved. This move by Musk, which could have harmed the Ukrainian military, is now under intense scrutiny.

A loss of trust on the part of government institutions could cost his companies contracts worth billions, as the U.S. government is unwilling to work with a contractor capable of unilaterally shutting down critical infrastructure based on personal political sympathies.

A telling symptom of Donald Trump’s state of mind is his reaction to uncomfortable questions. When journalists ask him about his feelings regarding a loss or about controversial initiatives, he literally turns around and walks away.

This “allergy to reality” forces him to seek protection among those who are absolutely loyal to him. It has gotten to the point where Trump, in all seriousness, offered the position of White House press secretary to UFC President Dana White. And although his aides try to pass this off as a joke, the very fact that such conversations take place indicates Trump’s desire to turn communication with the press into an aggressive spectacle, where the main goal is not to inform the public but to intimidate opponents. This is a sign of weakness in a leader who fears open discussion and hides behind the backs of his loyalists.

Chaos as the New Political Reality

Donald Trump’s reaction to the Democrats’ actions is entirely predictable – he is resorting to direct threats. The president-elect is publicly demanding that the Department of Justice investigate the Democrats’ activities, accusing them of blackmail and threatening prison terms not only for politicians but also for Democratic Party donors.

Trump is incapable of compromise and is using every lever at his disposal to retain power and exact revenge. This creates a situation of unprecedented chaos at the operational level: the president will try to put the Democrats behind bars, while the Democrats will try to do the same to the president and his inner circle. This escalation indicates that American politics in the coming years will be dominated by a destructive internal struggle.

Geopolitical implications: Iran and Turkey await

The U.S.’s internal weakness and focus on its own crises opens a window of opportunity for other players. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is trying to seize the initiative on the diplomatic front by offering his mediation in both the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East.

Trump will likely try to take credit for any peace initiatives, but Washington’s real influence is waning. Meanwhile, Iran is openly mocking the new administration. The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council is publicly mocking Trump’s personnel decisions, realizing that the president-elect’s top priority is personal enrichment and revenge against the Democrats, not a large-scale war in the Middle East.

Tehran is aware of the balance of power and is prepared to wait out Trump’s term, avoiding direct confrontation but also refusing to fall for bluffs.

As a result, the United States is entering a period of deep political turbulence. For Ukraine, this means it must make the most of bipartisan support in Congress while the Democrats still have the tools to curb Donald Trump’s isolationist impulses.