Vice President J.D. Vance defended special envoy Steve Witkoff Monday after Witkoff’s remarks about Russia and Ukraine in an interview with Tucker Carlson provoked outrage on the left. 

Witkoff told Carlson that he doesn’t think Putin is a “bad guy” and believes the Russian leader is “super smart.” The statement was sharply criticized by pro-Ukraine officials, including Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), who called Witkoff’s statements “insane.”

In response, Vance posted a statement on X defending Witkoff, who he said is doing an incredible job.

Witkoff and the Trump administration more broadly have been disappointed by recent negotiations over the Ukraine war. The administration hoped that Putin would agree to a ceasefire during a call last week with President Donald Trump, but the Russian president agreed only to a much narrower “infrastructure ceasefire.”

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