Donalds Backs Investigation into Zelenskyy Trip to Pennsylvania

Republicans have grown critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the United States’ financial backing of the country in its ongoing war against Russia. Financial concerns are now making headlines again, but this time regarding President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D). Florida Rep. Byron Donalds (R) is questioning President Zelensky’s alleged use of taxpayer funds used to campaign with Vice President Harris.

In 2019, President Donald Trump (R) found himself in controversy after claims that he used President Zelenskyy to benefit his own campaign. Rep. Donalds denies there being evidence, while pointing out that evidence now links President Zelensky to campaigning with the incumbent vice president at the taxpayers’ expense.

In a letter from the House Oversight Committee, the House shared its interest in investigating “the circumstances that led – and any facts that could justify – the Biden-Harris Administration to transport President Zelensky on a Department of the Air Force aircraft to Pennsylvania to introduce government officials to President Zelensky about the Russia-Ukraine war.”

The letter, sent to both Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, also includes President Zelensky’s itinerary for the trip, which included “a stop in Pennsylvania to meet with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, until recently considered a promising candidate to further Democrats’ hopes to maintain control of the White House.”

During this trip, President Zelensky also took part in an interview with the New Yorker where he “made multiple critical comments about the Trump-Vance ticket."

On social media, the Florida Republican reminded voters that President Trump was impeached in 2019 for “abuse of power.” Rep. Donalds wrote that Democrats were “claiming he used Volodymyr Zelenskyy to benefit his presidential campaign despite any evidence." He is now backing the investigation into President Zelenskyy’s trip, calling the trip "wrong" and urging for answers.