South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham sent a stunning message to the people of Russia, calling for someone in the country to rise up and assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin to put an end to Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
“Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?” Graham, a Republican, tweeted Thursday evening, referring to historical figures who betrayed and killed or sought to kill their leaders.
“The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country — and the world — a great service,” Graham added.
The only people who can fix this are the Russian people.
Easy to say, hard to do.
Unless you want to live in darkness for the rest of your life, be isolated from the rest of the world in abject poverty, and live in darkness you need to step up to the plate.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 4, 2022
Graham, who has a hawkish reputation in the Senate, sent the message around the time reports emerged of Russian forces shelling a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, raising concerns of a nuclear disaster.
“Easy to say, hard to do. Unless you want to live in darkness for the rest of your life, be isolated from the rest of the world in abject poverty, and live in darkness, you need to step up to the plate,” Graham said.
Graham also made an appearance on Fox News to deliver a similar plea to the Russian people.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 4, 2022
A number of Graham’s Republican colleagues, including Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, were quick to rebuke the senator’s call for Putin’s demise.
When has Sen. Graham encouraging regime change ever ended badly? https://t.co/W1SbvuMVtP
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) March 4, 2022
While we are all praying for peace & for the people of Ukraine, this is irresponsible, dangerous & unhinged.
We need leaders with calm minds & steady wisdom.
Not blood thirsty warmongering politicians trying to tweet tough by demanding assassinations.
Americans don’t want war. https://t.co/l2hqiUbZGv
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) March 4, 2022
Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, offered a more succinct reproach.
Seriously, wtf? https://t.co/dcg7hpMiDB
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 4, 2022
The invasion began last Thursday with Putin announcing a “special military operation” that he said was aimed at the “demilitarization and de-Nazification” of Ukraine, not its occupation. Putin also warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to “consequences you have never seen.”
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Although Russia‘s forces greatly outnumber Ukrainian forces, progress with the assault has been slower than Moscow expected, according to Western intelligence assessments. Putin placed his nuclear forces on high alert on Sunday, citing “aggressive statements” by NATO and Western sanctions.
Countries around the world, including the United States, have condemned Moscow’s invasion and have unleashed a wave of new sanctions on Russia. Although they aren’t sending troops to fight for Ukraine, over the past couple of days, President Joe Biden and other world leaders authorized tens of millions of dollars in additional military support for Ukrainian forces.
