Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) recently said that people need to “{take seriously the extent to which” there is now a “Putin-wing” of the Republican party — members of the GOP sympathetic or friendly to Russian leader Vladimir Putin — which would be in power if Donald Trump wins the election.
In a recent interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper on State of the Union, the former GOP lawmaker lashed out at Trump for recently suggesting he would not defend NATO allies amidst Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine. The Republican frontrunner has also remained silent on the death of Russia’s anti-Putin opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Cheney noted that Republican leaders who continue to support Trump despite his rhetoric regarding NATO need to be “held to account.”
“TAPPER: How do you feel about the fact that he has not said one word about Navalny? He’s had harsher words, about Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, than he has had about Vladimir Putin.
CHENEY: I mean, look, you know, Donald Trump, as you pointed out, said just a few days ago that, he had he had told the NATO ally that he would encourage Putin to do whatever he needed to do whatever he wanted to do.
He basically made clear that, under a Trump administration, the United States is unlikely to keep its NATO commitments. And I think that Republicans, who understand the importance of the national security situation, who continue to support him, are similarly going to be held to account.
You know, when you think about Donald Trump, for example, pledging retribution, what Vladimir Putin did to Navalny is what retribution looks like in a country where the leader is not subject to the rule of law. And I think that we have to take Donald Trump very seriously. We have to take seriously the extent to which, you know, you’ve now got a Putin-wing of the Republican Party.
I believe the issue this election cycle is making sure the Putin wing of the Republican Party does not take over the West wing of the white House.”
