Other GOP lawmakers were quick to denounce Cawthorn’s statement,
accusing him of favoring Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Like 90% of the country is with Ukrainians and is opposed
to Putin,” said Lindsey Graham, who lately came under fire for calling for a
Russian ‘Brutus’ to assassinate Putin. “So when you see a member of Congress
say things like this, the one thing I want you to know, they are outliers.”
“To my colleague in the House, I would push back and say
it’s not Ukraine that is invading Russia,” responded Joni Ernst. “It
is Russia invading Ukraine.”
Two North Carolina Republicans hoping to defeat
Cawthorn in the GOP primary later this year also took the opportunity to
condemn Cawthorn’s remarks.
“Let’s be clear,” said Chuck Edwards on Twitter. “The
thug is Vladimir Putin. We must unite as a nation to pray for President
Zelensky and the brave people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and
their freedom.”
“I do not understand how anyone in American public office
could call Zelensky a ‘thug’ while Ukraine is under such vicious assault,” said
Michele Woodhouse in a statement posted to her campaign website.
“Conservatives in my district are terrified that we will lose this republican
seat to a leftist Biden democrat if Cawthorn somehow wins the nomination.”
However, Cawthorn has made clear that he does not approve of
Russia’s actions either.
“The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting,” Cawthorn
said on Twitter on March 10, the same day the footage was released. “But
leaders, including Zelensky, should not push misinformation on America.”
“I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,”
Cawthorn added. “Pray also we are not drawn into conflict based on foreign
leaders pushing misinformation.”
Cawthorn is one of few GOP lawmakers to have criticized
Ukraine, though a larger number of members of Congress, on both sides, have
called for the United States not to send troops to Ukraine or impose a no-fly
zone.
The proper US response to the Russian invasion has divided the
old guard of the GOP—including figures like Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell and Graham who have called for heavy US involvement in the
conflict—from more populist-leaning newcomers like Cawthorn, Senate candidate
J.D. Vance, and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who have demanded that
the US stay out of the conflict.
In a statement to a news outlet, a spokesman for Cawthorn
explained his position further.
“Cawthorn supports Ukraine and the Ukrainian President’s
efforts to defend their country against Russian aggression, but does not want
America drawn into another conflict through emotional manipulation,” the
spokesman said.
