President Joe Biden addressed reporters on Monday upon his return to the White House from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. CNN’s MJ Lee queried Biden about the responsibility of House Republicans concerning the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, given their obstruction of a bill aimed at providing aid to Ukraine.
Biden, freshly disembarked from Marine One, faced difficulty hearing Lee’s question due to the aircraft’s noise. However, Lee’s inquiry implied whether Biden believed that Trump supporting House Republicans bore culpability for Navalny’s demise.
In response, Biden expressed concern over the House Republicans’ reluctance to act, stating, “They’re making a big mistake not responding.” He criticized their apparent disregard for the Russian threat, NATO commitments, and international obligations, deeming their stance “shocking” and unprecedented in his experience.
They’re making a big mistake not responding. Look, the way they’re walking away from the threat of Russia, the way they’re walking away from NATO, the way they’re walking away from meeting their obligations, it’s just shocking. … I’ve never seen anything like this.
Furthermore, Biden hinted at the White House’s contemplation of imposing additional sanctions on Russia in light of Navalny’s death.
The Senate had previously passed a bipartisan bill, inclusive of aid to Ukraine, during the preceding week. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) declared his refusal to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) indicated that Johnson’s decision stemmed from prioritizing the appropriations process, scheduled until March 8, before addressing the supplemental bill, despite the urgency posed by Navalny’s demise and concerns about Russia’s expanding nuclear capabiliti
