Republican lawmakers criticized President Biden’s surprise visit Monday to Ukraine, saying he should focus on domestic issues such as the chaos at America’s southern border.
They said Mr. Biden should not send billions to Ukraine while Americans are struggling at home with high inflation, soaring gas prices and migrants flooding across the border. They urged Mr. Biden to spend less on Ukraine and increase funding to protect the southern border.
“Breathtaking that President Biden can show up in Ukraine to ensure their border is secure but can’t do the same for America,” Rep. Scott Perry, Pennsylvania Republican, wrote on Twitter.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican and potential 2024 presidential candidate, also accused the president of neglecting U.S. problems in favor of kowtowing to Ukraine.
“I think I and many Americans are thinking to ourselves, ’OK, he’s very concerned about those borders halfway around the world. He’s not done anything to secure our own border here at home.’ We’ve had millions and millions of people pour in, tens of thousands of Americans dead because of fentanyl, and then, of course, we just suffered a national humiliation of having China fly a spy balloon clear across the continental United States,” he said in an appearance on Fox News, ” So we have a lot of problems accumulating here in our own country that he is neglecting.”
Rep. Greg Murphy, North Carolina Republican, tweeted: “So it takes two years for Joe Biden to visit the war zone he created at our southern border, but then he goes to see another war zone he created in Ukraine.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, said Mr. Biden’s visit showed that he puts America last.
“This is incredibly insulting. Today on our President’s Day, Joe Biden, the President of the United States chose Ukraine over America, while forcing the American people to pay for Ukraine’s government war. I can not express how much Americans hate Joe Biden,” she said.
Ms. Greene is one of 10 House Republicans to sign onto a resolution by Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican, to end U.S. military and financial aid to Ukraine.
The resolution would urge Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement in the war, which is entering its second year.
Upon arriving in Ukraine, Mr. Biden announced $500 million of additional assistance to the war-torn country. While making the announcement, Mr. Biden stressed bipartisan support for the war among U.S. lawmakers.
“For all the disagreement we have in our Congress on some issues, there is significant agreement on support for Ukraine,” Mr. Biden said.
SEE ALSO: Biden’s surprise trip to Ukraine was months in the planning: White House
GOP leaders, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, have yet to weigh in on Mr. Biden’s visit.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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