Rep. Mike Turner agreed Sunday that some of his fellow members of Congress were parroting Russian propaganda in discussing the Russia-Ukraine war on the House floor.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the Ohio Republican said: “There are members of Congress today who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which of course it is not. Vladimir Putin having made it very clear, both publicly and to his own population, that his view is that this is a conflict of a much broader claim of Russia to Eastern Europe, including claiming all of Ukrainian territories as Russian.”
Turner was responding to a question from host Jake Tapper about a statement by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) in an interview with Puck News’ Julia Ioffe that Russian propaganda had “infected” the Republican Party’s base.
“To the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus democracy battle, which is what it is,” Turner said.
Some House Republicans, most notably Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), have pushed to prevent Congress from approving more aid to Ukraine, with Greene threatening to hold a vote to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson should he hold a vote on Ukraine aid.
Turner, for his part, firmly supports more aid for Ukraine in its devastating 2-year-old war against Russia.
“We need to make certain that that we know that authoritarian regimes never stop when they start an aggression. Ukraine needs our help and assistance now,” he told Tapper.
Turner was also critical of President Joe Biden when it comes to his conduct of foreign policy.
“Frankly, it seems that almost President Biden has been asleep at the the wheel as he has not responded to the crisis as it’s unfolded,” Turner said of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. He did commend CIA Director William Burns for his ongoing diplomatic efforts on that front.
“I put a great deal of faith in the work that he is doing,” Turner said of Burns.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
