Steve Witkoff. Dirt-Bag.
A “Humanitarian.” He Actually Said It.
Steve Witkoff saluted a war criminal. Ukraine wasn’t even in the room.
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter Special Report: Thursday, October 22nd, 2026.
I’ll be direct and to the point, because there’s no time to be anything else.
Yesterday in St. Petersburg, Steve Witkoff–Donald Trump’s personal envoy–sat across from Vladimir Putin, looked him in the eye, and called him a humanitarian. Out loud. On camera.Then he said he saluted him
Putin. The man with an International Criminal Court warrant on his head for kidnapping Ukrainian children. The man whose missiles hit apartment blocks on purpose. A humanitarian.
Here’s what you need to understand. This was not a slip. This was the ninth time Witkoff has met Putin face-to-face. Nine. He’s been reported using Kremlin translators instead of our own. A transcript caught him coaching Putin’s aide on how to handle Trump. Pattern, not accident.
And the “humanitarian” gesture that earned the praise? Russia released one American– a 74-year-old retired teacher they’d held for four years.
That’s not charity. That’s a hostage trade, and Putin got paid in the only currency he values: legitimacy from the United States of America…delivered by the president’s own man.
Now ask the obvious question. Who was NOT in that room?
Ukraine.
The country whose territory…children…and future were on the table got no seat. Zelenskyy has begged to be included. The answer was a photo op in Putin’s city with Putin’s talking points.
Even Republicans acted like they couldn’t stomach it. Thom Tillis posted “WTF, Steve?” (and then I jumped down Thom’s throat in a profanity-rich reply to his post about it.)
Tillis called Witkoff’s remark embarrassing and outrageous. He’s retiring–which may be why he can say what the rest of them only think.
These cowardly little worms did NOTHING when they could have, so any “Trump is out of control!” posts I see from any of them now… are immediately met with a proverbial stiff-arm in the face from…yours truly.
John Cornyn called Putin a stone-cold killer. Don Bacon called it another embarrassment. (To be clear about Bacon’s voting record, in 2025 he voted against Trump 11% of the time, second only to Thomas Massie when it comes to voting against Trump. By no means does that let him off the hook, but…it’s not nothing.)
When the president’s own party is screaming from the sidelines, pay attention…even when you doubt their sincerity…and I always do.
So…here’s the deal. Stop waiting for the moment this administration “turns” on Russia. IT. IS. NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN.
Military aid has been frozen. Intelligence has been withheld. Negotiations held without the victim. And now…the moral endorsement; the one thing Putin couldn’t buy, handed over for free.
This is not incompetence. Incompetence is random. This is consistent. Every move points the same direction, and that direction is Moscow.
The only question left is what you’re going to do about it. Share this. Call your senator (YES…it still matters) especially if he’s a Republican who just found his voice. Make the word “humanitarian” the stone around this administration’s neck.
Because if they’ll say it, they’ll do anything.
#HoldFast
Back soon.
-Jack
Jack Hopkins
P.S. This was a special report, not today’s main article. I couldn’t sit on the Witkoff story until this afternoon, so you’re getting it now. Your full-length piece is still coming, later today, as usual. Watch your inbox.
Question…what will Tillis, Cornyn, Bacon and others do? Will they stand up FINALLY and call this regime what it is…treasonous? I suspect these spineless Republicans will just keep on keeping on, and not take a stand…unbelievably DISGUSTING! I believe this makes the traitors, too!
Christie
I just called John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy and told them how disgusted I am with Witkoff saluting Putin as a humanitarian!! I reminded them he is a war criminal - no where near a humanitarian. I am livid.