Biden denounces Trump's support for Russian attack on allies as 'un-American'
President Biden on Tuesday denounced former President Donald J. Trump for encouraging Russia to attack some NATO allies. He called the comments “stupid,” “shameful,” “dangerous” and “un-American” as he implored House Republicans to defy their putative nominee. and approve new security assistance for Ukraine and Israel.
In a televised statement, Mr. Biden said a $95 billion spending package that passed a bipartisan vote in the Senate earlier in the day was imperative to help defeat President Vladimir V. Putin's Russia's “vicious attack” against Ukraine . And he linked the legislative debate to Trump's campaign speech, in which he sided with Moscow over European allies he deemed “delinquent.”
“Could you imagine?” Mr Biden told reporters at the White House. “A former president of the United States saying that? The whole world heard it. And the worst part is that he means it. No other president in our history has ever bowed to a Russian dictator. Let me say this as clearly as possible: I will never do that. For God's sake, it's stupid, it's shameful, it's dangerous, it's un-American.”
Mr. Trump, who has long expressed admiration for Mr. Putin and derision for NATO and Ukraine, boasted at a campaign rally last weekend that he had warned NATO allies who were not spending enough on their own militaries that he should not look to their own army would come. defense if Russia attacked them, despite Article 5 of the alliance charter that obliged members to help each other in the event of an external attack. Not only would he not help them, Trump said, but he would 'Encouraging' Russia to do whatever they want against them.
Mr biden's statement on tuesday came hours after the The Senate has passed the security assistance legislation by a vote of 70-29, with 22 Republicans joining nearly all Democrats in supporting the funding. The package includes $60.1 billion for Ukraine, $14.1 billion for Israel and $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza, Ukraine and other conflict zones.
However, Speaker Mike Johnson has vowed not to allow a vote in the House without enacting tough policies that will crack down on illegal immigration. “In the absence of any change in Senate border policy, the House will have to continue to exercise its will on these important issues,” he said Monday evening.
But Mr. Johnson, under pressure from Mr. Trump, who said he does not want to hand Mr. Biden a political victory, has already rejected a bipartisan border bill negotiated by a conservative Republican senator with Democratic and independent counterparts. The likelihood of a consensus on a tougher package that would be acceptable to both Trump and enough Democrats to pass the Senate seems unlikely, if not impossible.
As a result, aid to Ukraine and Israel remains hostage to a domestic policy conflict with no resolution likely in the near future. Previously approved military aid to Ukraine as it seeks to expel Russian invaders from its eastern territories has already run out, while Israel needs replenishment after four months of military operations in response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack.
The legislation also includes nearly $5 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies concerned about China's aggressive foreign policy, a bipartisan priority.
Mr Johnson tried last week to pass a bill providing only Israeli aid, but fell short of the two-thirds vote he needed for the parliamentary maneuver amid a veto threat from Mr Biden, who objected to separating the package and leaving out Ukraine. .