President Joe Biden's regime change quip about Russia's Vladimir Putin, followed by walk-backs and clarifications, effectively made a bad situation worse in eastern European NATO countries, a number of Republicans declared.
Biden's remark that Putin "cannot remain in power" not only had former President Donald Trump, in an exclusive interview with Newsmax, calling it potentially dangerous to provoke Putin to use tactical nuclear weapons, but other Republicans saying it shows Biden is incompetent.
Biden "left our allies a bigger mess" on a NATO trip that was "supposed to reassure support for our NATO allies," according to Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., told The Hill.
"It's extremely concerning that our commander in chief can't clearly communicate the policy of the United States abroad," Steube said.
Despite the White House's damage control on Biden's suggestion that Putin should be removed as Russia's leader, the damage has been done and continues to be come, Republicans warned.
"President Biden's careless remark is fuel for Vladimir Putin's propaganda machine and breaks unity with our NATO allies," Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told The Hill. "It only ratchets up tensions."
Biden attempted to clean up the "mess" Monday, suggesting he was merely expressing "moral outrage" about Putin's invasion of Ukraine and insisting he was not walking back his remark.
"I was expressing moral outrage that I feel, and I make no apologies for it," Biden told reporters.
Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel was left unconvinced he is a capable leader amid Russian aggression on a sovereign nation.
"If Biden can't give a speech on a matter this important without making such big mistakes, he should not be giving speeches on it," McDaniel tweeted.
Other Republicans are less worried about tough talk on Putin's removal from power in Russia, than they are worried about the competing messaging and walk-backs.
"I've been saying this from the beginning: the West needs to be clear that the only way this ends is with Putin out of power," Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., told The Hill. "If you ask me, the only 'gaffe' is Joe Biden trying to walk back his comments. He finally said something right and showed an ounce of fortitude, and then he immediately backpedaled.
"This tells our adversaries that Biden won't even bark, let alone bite."
Ultimately, Biden will be the reason for his own downfall, according to Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.
"While the Biden administration talks a lot, it actually says very little," Issa told The Hill. "If its foreign policy is to be guided by verbal gymnastics — rather than sober strategy — a hard fall is never far off."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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