WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 13: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (R) listens to House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) during a news conference following a caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center February 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. McCarthy said that he supports the framework of a bipartisan spending deal that would avert another partial federal government shutdown but is waiting to read the bill before deciding on whether he would vote for it. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) warned of the emergence of a “Putin wing” of the Republican party and urged voters not to elect Donald Trump in November.
During an interview on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Cheney — an avid critic of Trump — criticized the former president after he said he would not defend NATO allies following an attack from Russia. She also noted his silence following the death of Alexei Navalny, the anti-corruption, pro-democracy opposition leader in Russia.
“I think that we have to take Donald Trump very seriously,” Cheney said. “We have to take seriously the extent to which you have now got a Putin wing of the Republican party.”
“I believe the issue this election cycle is making sure the Putin wing of the Republican party does not take over the West Wing of the White House,” she continued.
Cheney has not yet endorsed any presidential candidates, though she made it clear on Sunday that she will do whatever she can to stop Trump from taking office again.
“Donald Trump, as you pointed out, said just a few days ago that he had told a NATO ally that he would encourage [Vladimir Putin] to do whatever he needed to do, whatever he wanted to do,” Cheney told CNN anchor Jake Tapper.
“He’s basically made it clear that, under a Trump administration, the United States is unlikely to keep its NATO commitments. And I think that Republicans who understand the importance of the national security situation who continue to support him are going to be held to account,” Cheney said.
Cheney also referenced Navalny, who died under mysterious circumstances in a Russian prison last week, to further her analogy.
“When you think about Donald Trump, for example, pledging retribution — what Vladimir Putin did to Navalny is what retribution looks like in a country where the leader is not subject to the rule of law.”
Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton said last week that Putin would “celebrate” if Trump is reelected.
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