Hillary Clinton said that those supporting Putin were “naive” if they saw him as a “strong leader”. (MSNBC)
Hillary Clinton has said that Vladimir Putin appeals to Republicans as a “leader” because he’s “anti-gay, anti-freedom”.
Putin launched a brutal invasion of Ukraine on Thursday (24 February), which has resulted in Ukrainians desperately fleeing the destruction and bloodshed, but in the days leading up to the crisis, Trump has described the move as “genius”, “savvy” and “smart”.
Even after the invasion progressed, he described the situation as “sad”, but added: “I really don’t believe he wanted to do this initially. I think he wanted to do something and negotiate it. It just got worse and worse.”
Putin has enjoyed support from various other Republicans, US conservatives and right-wing conspiracy theorists in recent days.
Speaking on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Clinton hit out at support for Putin by Trump and other Republican figures.
She said that those supporting Putin were “naive” if they saw him as a “strong leader” who aligned with their conservative values.
“These people are naive in such a dangerous way,” she said.
“They somehow believe that because Putin presents himself as a strong leader, and on certain values that are anti-gay and anti-freedom and democracy… that somehow that corresponds with the views of some members and some elements and views of the Republican party – they could not be more mistaken.”
Hillary Clinton called on the Republican Party to stand against supporters of Vladimir Putin
Hillary Clinton added: “This is heartbreaking, but it’s also dangerous, and I think it’s time for what’s left of the Republican Party that has any common sense not just to say, ‘OK, go help defend Ukraine against Putin’, but to stand against those people in politics and government, in the media and elsewhere in our own country who are literally giving aid and comfort to an enemy of freedom and democracy.
“It can’t continue because it plays right into the ambitions of not just Putin, but also President Xi [Jinping] of China to undermine democracy, to literally divide and conquer the West without ever invading us, but by setting us against each other.”
While some Republicans may be siding with Trump, the majority are condemning Putin’s actions.
According to The Independent, House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement this week: “Vladimir Putin is a bad guy. He’s an authoritarian. He yearns for an empire, and we need to do everything we can to stop it.”