GOP presidential candidate Will Hurd knocked Republican rivals who “wish to kiss the butt” of Russian President Vladimir Putin in “frank” remarks to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
The previous Texas congressman, who didn’t seem on the first Republican presidential debate, weighed in on Putin after Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was listed as a passenger aboard a jet that crashed and killed 10 folks in Russia.
“An individual has a one-in-11 million likelihood of dying in a airplane crash. And now, I don’t have any of the intelligence or insights into what occurred however contemplating that Prigozhin tried to create a mutiny two months in the past, I don’t suppose this was luck,” stated Hurd of the mercenary group head who led a short insurrection within the nation in June.
He went on responsible Putin — who characterised the Prigozhin-led insurrection as a “stab in the back” — for the crash earlier than ripping fellow candidates previous to the controversy on Wednesday.
“I feel this was one thing that Vladimir Putin did on objective and was making an attempt to not solely goal [Prigozhin] however let all people else know that he’s not going to play,” stated Hurd.
“And sadly, although, this is likely one of the points that I hope the candidates on the controversy stage get requested about. As a result of sadly there’s too lots of these candidates within the room who’re prepared to have interaction and — to be frank — wish to kiss the butt of Vladimir Putin.”
He continued: “Vladimir Putin is a struggle felony and his actions, and certain actions, at present is only a additional indication of that.”
Hurd, in earlier remarks on X (previously Twitter), slammed the Russian president as “a murderous dictator.”
“Anybody who thinks America must be sucking as much as him is dangerously unprepared to be President and a risk to our nationwide safety,” wrote Hurd.
Putin’s identify made its manner into the controversy on a number of events Wednesday as candidates chimed in concerning assist for the struggle in Ukraine.
Vivek Ramaswamy argued for utilizing U.S. navy assets for safety on the U.S.-Mexico border as he criticized “disastrous” protections in opposition to the Russian invasion.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, in the meantime, defended his latest go to to Kyiv as he introduced up that GOP frontrunner and former President Donald Trump as soon as known as Putin a “genius.”
“If we don’t arise in opposition to one of these autocratic killing on the earth, we shall be subsequent,” Christie warned.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley later went to bat for supporting “associates” to America like Ukraine and accused Putin of killing Prigozhin as she took purpose at Ramaswamy.
“Once I was on the U.N., the Russian ambassador suddenly died, this man is a assassin and you’re selecting a assassin over a pro-American nation,” Haley stated.
