White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki attacked Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), claiming that his calls to send immediate aid to Ukraine were hypocritical because he had voted against the most recent spending package that contained such aid.
The argument began with a tweet from Senator Tom Cotton on Wednesday, March 16th, calling for the United States to send Ukraine the weapons necessary to repel the invading Russian forces.
“No more timidity and half measures. It’s time to send Ukraine the weapons needed to end this invasion,” he wrote.
No more timidity and half measures.
It's time to send Ukraine the weapons needed to end this invasion.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) March 16, 2022
Psaki responded to the tweet on March 18th, claiming that Senator Cotton had the chance to vote in favor of aid to Ukraine and had chosen not to do so.
“[Tom Cotton] had a chance last week to back his words with actions by voting for the security assistance for Ukraine that the President announced yesterday. He and 30 of his fellow Senate Republicans voted against that money,” she tweeted in response to the congressman.
.@TomCottonAR had a chance last week to back his words with actions by voting for the security assistance for Ukraine that the President announced yesterday.
He and 30 of his fellow Senate Republicans voted against that money. https://t.co/yyZ3BQHL0j
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 18, 2022
Psaki continued to attack Cotton in a second tweet, laying out a list of things that were in the bill that he and the 30 other Republican Senators had voted against.
“Those 31 Republican Senators voted against: $13.6 billion for Ukraine, 800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 9000 anti-tank weapons, 7000 small arms, 20 million rounds of ammunition,” she wrote in the subsequent tweet. “Our assistance is making a difference on the ground, and the President is delivering more.”
Those 31 Republican Senators voted against:
-$13.6 billion for Ukraine
-800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems
-9000 anti-tank weapons
-7000 small arms
-20 million rounds of ammunitionOur assistance is making a difference on the ground, and the President is delivering more
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 18, 2022
But Senator Cotton fired back at her, pointing out the fact that the aid for Ukraine that Jen Psaki was talking about had only accounted for a very small percentage of the total spending package, which had a massive $1.5 trillion price tag.
“The aid was <1% of an inflation-busting $1.5 trillion budget. It should have been sent *before* the invasion, but Biden blocked it to avoid offending Putin,” the senator shot back, asking, “@Pressec, why is Biden still buying Russian oil?”
The aid was <1% of an inflation-busting $1.5 trillion budget.
It should have been sent *before* the invasion, but Biden blocked it to avoid offending Putin. @Pressec, why is Biden still buying Russian oil? https://t.co/58WTa1ygFV
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) March 18, 2022
