Former Trump national security adviser condemns Putin at CPAC

Robert O’Brien, who served as national security adviser to former President Trump, condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, calling the leader a “killer” in an apparent break from Trump.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, O’Brien cast Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as “a crisis the likes of which we haven’t seen at least those of us born after World War II haven’t seen.”

“Make no mistake: Putin is a killer. He wants to rebuild the Russian Empire. He’s not a person to be admired, no matter how charming or how clever he is,” O’Brien said.

Earlier this week, Trump called Putin’s recognition of the independence of two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine a “genius” move. The Russian leader has since launched an invasion into Ukraine.

O’Brien has voiced public support for Ukraine amid the invasion, and on Saturday, he tweeted praise of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“We are watching [Zelensky] become a legend,” he wrote. “Stay strong and in the fight.”

At CPAC, O’Brien, who served as national security adviser under Trump from 2019 to 2021, said Ukraine was a “beautiful country” and the people do not want to live in Putin’s “dystopian Russia.”