Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., asked Twitter to label a previous President Biden tweet about his toughness on Russian President Vladimir Putin as “disinformation” amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Stefanik, the chair of the House GOP conference, mocked a previous tweet from Biden two years ago where then-candidate Biden said: “Vladimir Putin doesn’t want me to be President. He doesn’t want me to be our nominee. If you’re wondering why — it’s because I’m the only person in this field who’s ever gone toe-to-toe with him.”
“Hey, @Twitter I would like to report some disinformation,” Stefanik wrote Tuesday, flagging Biden’s tweet from 2020.
Her comments came as Russia sent forces to Ukraine Monday and Putin announced that he would recognize the independence of two separatist regions, despite diplomatic pressure from the Biden administration and NATAO allies and the threat of international sanctions.
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Biden Tuesday followed through with the “first tranche” of sanctions against Russia and pledged to escalate with more sanctions if “Russia goes further with this invasion.”
But Stefanik and fellow Republicans have implied that Putin is emboldened to invade Ukraine because Biden is the president.
“Sadly, President Biden consistently chose appeasement and his tough talk on Russia was never followed by strong action,” Stefanik said in a joint statement Tuesday with House GOP leadership. “Lethal aid was slow-walked, anti-air and anti-ship capabilities were never directly provided, pre-invasion sanctions proportionate to the aggression Putin had already committed were never imposed, and sanctions on Nord Stream 2 were waived.”
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Some Republicans had wanted Biden to impose sanctions much earlier as a deterrent and not to wait for the actual invasion to begin. Stefanik, along with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and others, are urging Biden to respond more aggressively to Putin with tougher sanctions and permanently ending the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany, as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a halt to the major energy project.
“The U.S. and our allies must now make the Putin regime pay for this aggression,” the House GOP leaders said.
Biden Tuesday said the United States is working with NATO allies and partners to implement sanctions, saying they have been “closely coordinated” and will “continue to escalate” if Russia “escalates.”
“Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belongs to his neighbors?” Biden said. “This is a flagrant violation of international law and demands a firm response from the international community.”
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
