GOP Senator says Biden's regime change gaffe 'plays into the hands' of 'Russian propagandists'

The speech President Biden delivered in Warsaw on Saturday played "into the hands" of "Russian propagandists" by insinuating that the United States wishes to remove Russian President Vladimir Putin from power, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press.

"Well, first, I think all of us believe the world would be a better place without Vladimir Putin," Portman said in response to a question from host Chuck Todd. "But second, that's not the official U.S. policy. And by saying that regime change is our strategy, it plays into the hands of the Russian propagandists and plays into the hands of Vladimir Putin. So, it was a mistake. And the president recognized that and the White House has walked it back." The rest of Biden's speech, he added, was "very strong."

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Grayson Quay

Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-GazetteModern AgeThe American ConservativeThe Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.