Biden blasts Trump’s refusal to blame Putin for Navalny’s death
Trump did not mention Alexei Navalny until a Monday post on his Truth Social platform that did not cast blame or express remorse
21 February 2024 - 15:51
byDoina Chiacu
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US Senator Tim Scott and former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participate in a Fox News town hall in Greenville, South Carolina, US, on February 20 2024. REUTERS/SAM WOLFE
Washington — US President Joe Biden criticised Republican rival Donald Trump’s response to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, on Tuesday, asking, “Why does Trump always blame America?”
After Navalny’s death was reported on Friday, Biden directly blamed Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as did Trump’s main rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley.
Trump did not mention Navalny until a Monday post on his Truth Social platform that did not cast blame or express remorse, but alluded to his own legal problems as persecution and called the US a nation in decline.
Trump and other Republicans refuse to hold Putin accountable for his death,” Biden said. “Instead, Trump said Navalny’s death made him realise how bad the US was.
“He said, and I quote, ‘We are a nation in decline, a failing nation.’ Why does Trump always blame the US? Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. Why can’t Trump just say that?”
Biden said earlier on Tuesday that the US would announce a major package of sanctions against Russia on Friday over the death of Navalny.
Trump, the Republican front-runner, is likely to face Democrat Biden in a rematch in November’s presidential election.
In an interview on Tuesday with Fox News, Trump praised Navalny as “very brave” for voluntarily returning to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he underwent treatment for what Western laboratory tests showed evidence of a Russian nerve agent.
However, the former US president also second-guessed that decision.
“He probably would have been a lot better off staying away and talking from outside the country, as opposed to having to go back in, because people thought that [death] could happen and it did happen,” Trump said.
During his 2017-2021 tenure in the White House, Trump drew criticism for his praise of Putin. Last week, he suggested the US might not protect Nato allies who did not spend enough on defence from a potential Russian invasion.
On Tuesday, Biden called the comments on Nato dangerous. “It does nothing but encourage bad behaviour,” Biden said.
Biden folded the criticism into a video posted in Twitter in which he urged Republicans who control the House of Representatives to pass emergency security assistance for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Biden blasts Trump’s refusal to blame Putin for Navalny’s death
Trump did not mention Alexei Navalny until a Monday post on his Truth Social platform that did not cast blame or express remorse
Washington — US President Joe Biden criticised Republican rival Donald Trump’s response to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, on Tuesday, asking, “Why does Trump always blame America?”
After Navalny’s death was reported on Friday, Biden directly blamed Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as did Trump’s main rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley.
Trump did not mention Navalny until a Monday post on his Truth Social platform that did not cast blame or express remorse, but alluded to his own legal problems as persecution and called the US a nation in decline.
Trump and other Republicans refuse to hold Putin accountable for his death,” Biden said. “Instead, Trump said Navalny’s death made him realise how bad the US was.
“He said, and I quote, ‘We are a nation in decline, a failing nation.’ Why does Trump always blame the US? Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. Why can’t Trump just say that?”
Biden said earlier on Tuesday that the US would announce a major package of sanctions against Russia on Friday over the death of Navalny.
Trump, the Republican front-runner, is likely to face Democrat Biden in a rematch in November’s presidential election.
In an interview on Tuesday with Fox News, Trump praised Navalny as “very brave” for voluntarily returning to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he underwent treatment for what Western laboratory tests showed evidence of a Russian nerve agent.
However, the former US president also second-guessed that decision.
“He probably would have been a lot better off staying away and talking from outside the country, as opposed to having to go back in, because people thought that [death] could happen and it did happen,” Trump said.
During his 2017-2021 tenure in the White House, Trump drew criticism for his praise of Putin. Last week, he suggested the US might not protect Nato allies who did not spend enough on defence from a potential Russian invasion.
On Tuesday, Biden called the comments on Nato dangerous. “It does nothing but encourage bad behaviour,” Biden said.
Biden folded the criticism into a video posted in Twitter in which he urged Republicans who control the House of Representatives to pass emergency security assistance for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
“We have to stand up to Putin,” Biden said.
Reuters
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