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 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 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.
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
When has Sen. Graham encouraging regime change ever ended badly? https://t.co/W1SbvuMVtP
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) 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