On Friday’s “CNN News Central,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) responded to a question on whether he would support more accountability for U.S. aid to Ukraine by stating that “Accountability is a stalking horse for Republicans to try to avoid taking a vote that might anger their Trump base.”
Co-host Kate Bolduan asked, “Congressman, would you be open to more accountability around the funds? That is one thing we have heard from Republicans not named Sen. JD Vance (R-OH). I know Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) — who was just on with us — she’s talking more accountability of where the funds are.”
Auchincloss answered, “Accountability is a stalking horse for Republicans to try to avoid taking a vote that might anger their Trump base. The funds going to Ukraine have rigorous accountability within the State Department, within the Department of Defense, and within Ukraine itself. And we’ve seen President Zelensky take muscular action when necessary to ensure that. I will also go a step further and say that the funds being sent to Ukraine have been the highest return on investment for national security dollars in my entire lifetime. For less than Americans spend on soft drinks every year, we have doubled NATO’s border with Russia, we have cratered half of Russia’s conventional military capacity, we’ve induced our allies to spend more on their own defense spending, we have sent a clear message to Beijing that America stands for freedom and democracy the world over and changed their calculation regarding Taiwan. This has been a successful foreign policy endeavor by President Biden. And Republicans agree with him privately, but publicly, they’re afraid, because Donald Trump tweets mean things at them.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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