President Biden on Monday said he makes no apologies for the ad-libbed remarks made in Poland stating that Putin “cannot remain in power.”
Biden’s “no apologies” statement comes on the heels of multiple media outlets stressing a White House and Democratic “walk back” strategy. The pearl-clutching was widespread.
- The New York Times: Administration officials were forced to walk back the ad-lib that Russian President Vladimir V. Putin “cannot remain in power,” which captured the attention of foreign policy experts, lawmakers and allies.
- The Hill: President Biden’s remark that Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” reverberated throughout Washington on Sunday, with some current and former officials and lawmakers scrutinizing the reported ad-lib while others slammed the White House for its subsequent walk-back.
- Axios: The takeaway from a 27-minute speech of massive consequence — on the world stage, a border away from Russian missile strikes in a war zone — was derailed by a taunt.
Biden was defiant on Monday, and said he was not worried that his comments would be interpreted as a call for regime change, or that it would be used by Russian propagandists to justify escalating Moscow’s aggression.
The Polish Ambassador to the U.S. stood behind President Biden.
And some surprising sources also stood behind Biden’s remarks.
