In new Lincoln Project ad, former Navy SEAL asks if Trump is 'a coward' afraid of Putin or 'complicit'
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
The Lincoln Project released its latest ad on Tuesday, featuring a former Navy SEAL demanding answers from President Trump on what he knows about Russia allegedly offering and paying bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Dan Barkhuff is an emergency room doctor and founder of Veterans for Responsible Leadership. In the ad, titled "Betrayed," Barkhuff declares that "any commander-in-chief with a spine" who learned about such a plot "would be stomping the living s--t out of some Russians right now — diplomatically, economically, or if necessary, with the sort of asymmetric warfare they're using to send our kids home in body bags."
Trump reportedly first found out about the bounties in 2019, yet no action has been taken, leading Barkhuff to wonder why Trump hasn't taken a public stand against Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Mr. Trump, you're either a coward who can't stand up to an ex-KGB goon or you're complicit," he said. "Which is it?"
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Barkhuff described himself as being a "pro-life, gun-owning combat veteran," and said it is easy to see Trump "for what he is: a coward. We need to send this draft dodger back to his golf courses — the lives of our troops depend on it." Catherine Garcia
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Political cartoons for February 16Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include President's Day, a valentine from the Epstein files, and more
-
Regent Hong Kong: a tranquil haven with a prime waterfront spotThe Week Recommends The trendy hotel recently underwent an extensive two-year revamp
-
The problem with diagnosing profound autismThe Explainer Experts are reconsidering the idea of autism as a spectrum, which could impact diagnoses and policy making for the condition
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
