Introduction
This article was flagged for fact-checking due to a claim involving President Donald Trump’s promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. As tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue escalating with drone attacks and continued missile strikes, readers wanted clarification on whether Trump actually made such a claim — and whether it was taken out of context or remains unverifiable.
Historical Context
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has evolved into one of the largest military and humanitarian crises in Europe since World War II. The war has seen shifting frontlines, billions in foreign aid pledged to Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and repeated international calls for ceasefire. Former President Donald Trump, who previously expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin and skepticism toward U.S. military interventions, has been vocal about how he would handle the crisis differently, including public claims about ending the war quickly if re-elected.
Fact-Check of Specific Claims
Claim #1: President Trump claimed he could end the Ukraine war in 24 hours after retaking office
This claim is TRUE. Donald Trump has on numerous occasions publicly said he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. For example, during a CNN town hall on May 10, 2023, Trump said: “If I’m president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours.” He added in other remarks that he would negotiate directly with Putin and Zelenskyy. These statements have been repeated during his campaign rallies and interviews. The ABC article reflects the substance of this claim accurately, though it does not emphasize that he made this promise prior to taking office, not after resuming the presidency in January 2025.
Claim #2: Trump returned to office in January 2025
This claim is FALSE. As of the publication date of the ABC article (May 28, 2025), Donald Trump has not returned to office as President. The 2024 U.S. presidential election results would have determined the next president, and the inauguration would have taken place on January 20, 2025, if Trump had won. However, there is no record—public or legal—that Donald Trump was re-elected as president by May 2025. There is currently no credible source, including official U.S. government platforms or mainstream media, confirming Trump’s return to office.
Claim #3: The war has intensified since Trump returned to office
This claim is MISLEADING. The article states: “The intensity of strikes by both sides have only increased since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January,” implying Trump’s presidency is a current fact. Because Trump has not been confirmed to return to office, this part of the article is factually incorrect. Furthermore, associating escalation in the war solely with Trump’s alleged return wrongly suggests causality or correlation. Several independent defense analysts and reports from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the UK Ministry of Defence indicate that drone activity and long-range missile exchanges between Russia and Ukraine escalated throughout 2024 independent of American presidential transitions.
Claim #4: ABC News stated it could not verify claims about the Ukrainian drone strike targets
This claim is TRUE. The article explicitly mentions that ABC News “could not immediately verify Kovalenko’s claim of successful strikes on the facilities” targeted by Ukraine. This shows ABC’s editorial transparency in differentiating between verified outcomes and claims from Ukrainian officials. This is responsible reporting when on-the-ground verification is not possible due to wartime constraints.
Conclusion
The ABC News article contains a mixture of accurate and misleading information. It correctly identifies that Trump claimed he could end the Ukraine war in 24 hours and fairly conveys the chaos caused by drone activity. However, it falsely reports that Trump has returned to office, a critical error that undermines factual credibility. Implying that Trump’s return has fueled escalation further intensifies that error. On the positive side, ABC demonstrates journalistic restraint by disclosing unverified battlefield claims, which adds a layer of source transparency. Readers should be cautious about the article’s timeline references and always verify political claims through primary and current sources.
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Link to Original Article
Read the original ABC News article here: https://abcnews.go.com/International/hundreds-drones-attack-russia-impacts-disruption-reported-moscow/story?id=122256829
