Former US Army Commander Says Trump Was 'Bought Off' by Putin, Warns Congress Could Expose the Truth

Retired Lt Gen Ben Hodges, who once commanded US Army Europe, has accused President Donald Trump of being 'bought off' by Vladimir Putin, in remarks suggesting Trump could face scrutiny from Congress once Democrats take over.

Hodges made the claim on 5 November on German broadcaster ZDF's talk show Maybrit Illner, in an episode on Trump's future after the Republican midterm defeat. He conceded he could not substantiate it in writing and gave no further details.

'It is quite clear that President Trump has somehow been put under pressure by Putin. I believe he has been bought off,' Hodges said, in remarks translated from German.

Trump, he said, could either confess and admit that he belongs to Putin, or 'drag this out for as long as possible and hope that the next one to follow him will protect him from criminal prosecution.' MeidasTouch, citing the interview transcript, reported that Hodges framed the choice as coming clean now or facing congressional investigations.

'As an American, I can only say we have never had a perfect president, but it is so embarrassing to have a president who is not only corrupt himself but also allows others to be corrupt,' he added.

Ben Hodges Says Congress Has the Power to Act

Hodges said Congress has 'a great deal of influence' over Trump's policies and 'the ability to end the funding for the war.' He was referring to the conflict the US and Israel launched against Iran in February, which has continued intermittently since a June ceasefire broke down. He argued that Washington had forgotten how powerful a determined Congress can be.

When the new Congress convenes in January, Democrats will hold both chambers and the power to subpoena records and compel testimony. The Associated Press count late last week gave them at least 54 Senate seats and at least 254 House seats.

Representative Robert Garcia, expected to chair the House Oversight Committee, has listed four priority areas: the 'Trump crime family', 'DHS and ICE abuses,' corporate corruption, and 'the cover-up of the Epstein files.' Russia is not among them.

Trump said on 7 November that he had ordered the Justice Department to investigate Democrats over what he described as threats against officials. Asked on CNN's State of the Union on 8 November whether lawmakers could face probes, Attorney General Todd Blanche said, 'It depends on what's said. So yes, there could be.'

Trump-Putin Contacts Continue Ahead of Abu Dhabi Talks

Hodges spoke days before US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November, the first three-way round since February. In October, after a Trump-Putin call, the US Treasury temporarily eased sanctions on Russian diesel sales until 7 April 2027. Putin hosted White House envoy Steve Witkoff on 21 October.

Trump has long called allegations of improper ties to Moscow a hoax, and special counsel Robert Mueller's 2019 report did not establish that his 2016 campaign conspired with the Russian government. The White House had not publicly responded to Hodges at the time of writing.

Hodges took command of US Army Europe in November 2014, months after Russia annexed Crimea, and retired in January 2018. He has served as NATO's senior mentor for logistics and co-wrote a 2020 op-ed endorsing Joe Biden.

He also predicted a Ukrainian victory. 'Ukraine will win this war. They will push Russia back out of Ukraine,' he said.