MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough ripped White House officials Friday for their concerns that sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin are “too tough.”
Scarborough said past administrations have “underestimated Vladimir Putin” and have given him the “benefit of the doubt,” which has led to negative consequences. He added that White House officials concerned about sanctions being “too tough” are doing a “grave disservice.”
“Wipe that dust off of your jacket, off of your shoulder. That’s absolutely ridiculous. … This idea that sanctions may be too tough on Vladimir Putin, please, if you’re thinking that, do your country and do the Ukrainian people a favor,” he said. “Turn in your badge and leave the White House today, because you are doing a grave disservice to the people of Ukraine, to our allies in NATO, to Americans who still believe that this country, the United States of America, remains the indispensable nation when it comes to helping secure freedoms across the globe.”
The White House imposed sanctions on a small portion of the Russian energy sector Wednesday that restrict U.S. oil refining technology exports to Russia. The sanctioning is intended to impact the country’s fossil fuel industry “over time,” rather than having immediate consequences. (RELATED: Scarborough Calls Out Biden Admin And Democrats For Not Taking Steps To Decrease Dependence On Russian Oil)
President Joe Biden’s administration announced new sanctions on four Russian banks, limited exports and specifically targeted “Russian elites” and “corrupt billionaires” closely tied to the Kremlin on Feb. 24, just two days after imposing “comprehensive sanctions” on Western assistance to Russia’s national debt.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have both called for stricter sanctions and even an outright ban on all crude oil imported from Russia. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she would support a ban on Russian oil purchases and increasing domestic energy production.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a Friday interview that sanctioning Russia’s oil and gas sector could directly lead to higher energy costs for Americans and Europeans.