Fox Analyst Warns Trump’s Putin-xi Gambit Could Split GOP

WHO:

Alternet - Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy criticized the proposed summit.

Alternet - Former Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire criticized the Russia sanctions waiver.

Alternet - Rebecca Heinrichs, a Fox News contributor and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, criticized President Trump’s approach toward Russia.

Alternet - Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a possible summit involving Trump, Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Alternet - Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina criticized Trump’s Russia policy and a possible summit with Putin and Xi.

Alternet - Heinrichs said about 14 Republican senators had publicly opposed the diesel deal with Russia and lifting the Lindsey Graham Sanctions Act.

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russia and China support Iran, which she said was firing weapons at the United States and collaborating with them against the United States and Europe.

NY Post - The article said Trump agreeing to Putin’s proposed “Yalta 2” summit with Xi could trigger a major conflict within the Republican Party.

WHAT:

HuffPost - The New York Post editorial board warned Trump would be “volunteering to be outnumbered by our determined foes” by joining the proposed summit.

HuffPost - The New York Post editorial board said merely announcing the summit could prompt “all-out rebellion” among Republicans and further damage the party’s midterm prospects; it speculated the move might give Democrats 60 Senate seats, enough to convict in an impeachment process.

HuffPost - The Post urged Trump to reject Putin’s proposed meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.

Alternet - Cassidy called a summit excluding Ukraine “morally wrong” and “foolhardy,” and said, “Ukrainians have got to be part of any peace deal.”

Alternet - Cassidy said Russia was trying to kill Americans around the world “covertly and overtly.”

Alternet - Gregg called the sanctions waiver “beyond inexcusable” and said Russia had invaded a democracy and killed “tens of thousands of people.”

Alternet - Trump said he was open to a trilateral summit focused on nuclear weapons, nuclearization and possibly trade.

Alternet - The article reported Trump issued an executive order waiving new Russia sanctions that Congress had approved.

Alternet - Rebecca Heinrichs said Russia’s military had been struggling, and that Trump’s actions had given Putin “a major gift.”

Alternet - Thom Tillis warned that history would judge the United States harshly if it failed to defend the Western world and Putin “gets his way.”

Alternet - The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said the original Yalta participants, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill, were U.S. allies in 1945, unlike the leaders involved in the proposed summit.

Alternet - The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said a new world-dividing triumvirate could undermine U.S. credibility and its network of allies, including NATO, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Alternet - The editorial board said Trump could not force Ukraine to capitulate and would be responsible for the consequences if he withdrew intelligence and targeting assistance.

Alternet - The editorial board warned that Xi could use an opening to push the United States out of the Pacific and seek to subdue Taiwan, whose population it described as 23 million.

Bloomberg Markets - Stephen Roach said Xi Jinping might engage in meetings with Trump to address concerns about China’s economy and buy time; Roach said Xi may not share Trump’s portrayal of their personal camaraderie.

Alternet - Rebecca Heinrichs said that after President Trump argued that Volodymyr Zelensky was standing in the way of peace, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Iran’s foreign minister.

Alternet - Heinrichs quoted Iran’s foreign minister as saying Iran and Russia had “never worked as closely as now.”

Alternet - Heinrichs called a Trump-Putin-Xi summit to discuss Ukraine a “serious mistake,” saying discussions about what to do about Russia should involve the United States, European countries and Ukraine.

Alternet - The article said Trump dropped sanctions against Russia to buy Russian diesel.

Alternet - The article reported a “suspicious drop” in Ukraine’s Starshield capabilities that hindered its defenses and communications.

Alternet - Tillis said, “Putin is lying. Putin is playing President Trump like a fiddle,” and called a summit with Putin and Xi “absurd.”

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Iran’s foreign minister and described Iran’s cause against the United States as “just.”

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russia was providing targeting information that Iran used to strike Americans in the Gulf region.

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russia was attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure and American businesses in Ukraine, naming Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Boeing and Philip Morris.

WHERE:

HuffPost - The proposed Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is in Shenzhen, China.

Alternet - Heinrichs referred to American businesses in Ukraine and Americans in the Gulf region.

Alternet - The article identified the Hudson Institute as Heinrichs’s organization and Tillis as a senator from North Carolina.

WHEN:

HuffPost - The proposed summit was associated with next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.

WHY:

Alternet - Gregg said the sanctions reflected Congress’s and the American people’s opposition to Russia’s invasion and killing of civilians.

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russia views the United States as its “number one adversary.”

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russia and China were supporting Iran and collaborating to undermine the United States and Europe.

Alternet - Heinrichs said Russia wanted the United States and European countries to stop supporting Ukraine and wanted the United States to back down.

NY Post - The article said a “Yalta 2” summit could “blow up the Republican Party.”

HOW:

Alternet - The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said Congress and the courts could not stop a determined president on foreign policy but could make him “pay a political price.”

Alternet - Heinrichs advocated working with European countries and Ukraine to pressure Russia.

Alternet - The article described the Yalta Conference as a meeting of the Allies at the end of World War Two to discuss the postwar fates of Germany and Europe.

(UPDATED October 21, 2026 16:10 UTC)

President Trump says he is open to a three-way summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, potentially at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen, China, to discuss nuclear issues and trade. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, including North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who called a meeting with Putin and Xi absurd, and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who said any Ukraine peace deal must include Ukraine. Rebecca Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute also called the summit a serious mistake, warning that Russia and China support Iran and are working against U.S. interests. Critics are also condemning Trump’s waiver of newly approved Russia sanctions, which followed a deal to buy Russian diesel. Former Sen. Judd Gregg called the waiver inexcusable. The New York Post editorial board warned the summit could provoke a Republican revolt and weaken the party’s midterm prospects.

(UPDATED October 21, 2026 13:12 UTC)

Senator Bill Cassidy called a proposed summit that excludes Ukraine “morally wrong” and “foolhardy,” saying Ukrainians must be part of any peace deal. President Trump said he was open to a trilateral summit focused on nuclear weapons and possibly trade, while Cassidy warned that Russia was trying to kill Americans around the world. Former Senator Judd Gregg called Trump’s waiver of new Russia sanctions “beyond inexcusable,” saying the measures reflected opposition to Russia’s invasion of a democracy and killing of civilians.

(UPDATED October 21, 2026 05:07 UTC)

A Wall Street Journal editorial warned that a proposed world-dividing alliance could damage U.S. credibility and weaken ties with allies including NATO, Japan, South Korea and Australia. It said Trump could not force Ukraine to capitulate and would bear responsibility for the consequences if he withdrew intelligence and targeting support, while warning that Xi could exploit the opening to challenge U.S. influence in the Pacific and pressure Taiwan. Rebecca Heinrichs said Trump’s actions had given Putin “a major gift,” Thom Tillis warned of harsh judgment if Putin “gets his way,” and Stephen Roach said Xi might meet Trump to address China’s economic concerns and buy time, without sharing Trump’s account of their camaraderie.

(UPDATED October 21, 2026 01:29 UTC)

Rebecca Heinrichs said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Iran’s foreign minister after President Trump argued that Volodymyr Zelensky was standing in the way of peace. Iran’s foreign minister said Iran and Russia had “never worked as closely as now,” while Heinrichs said Russia views the United States as its “number one adversary.” The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said Congress and the courts may be unable to stop a determined president on foreign policy, but could make him “pay a political price.”

(UPDATED October 21, 2026 00:39 UTC)

Republican Senator Thom Tillis called a possible summit between President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping “absurd,” while Hudson Institute fellow Rebecca Heinrichs described it as a “serious mistake.” Heinrichs said discussions about Russia and Ukraine should include the United States, European countries and Ukraine, and urged pressure on Moscow; she also accused Russia of helping Iran target Americans in the Gulf region and attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure and American businesses. She said about 14 Republican senators had publicly opposed a diesel deal with Russia and lifting the Lindsey Graham sanctions measure, as critics warned that a “Yalta 2” summit could deepen divisions within the Republican Party.