Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said that President Joe Biden’s military and economic response to Russia has been a “wimp-fest” during a Wednesday interview on “Hannity.”
“President Biden’s economic response to the invasion, and military response to the invasion, in my judgement, has been a wimp-fest,” the senator said. “Let’s take it first militarily. President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people are holding their own on the ground. They need air cover. Today President Zelenskyy said, ‘Can you please help me get planes, can you please help me get surface-to-air missiles?'”
“President Biden’s response is the same as it always is,” Kennedy continued. “‘I’ll get back to you in three to five business days,’ and he never gets back.”
Kennedy said the U.S. cannot get Putin “on his knees without cutting off his cash flow” through oil and gas, which many European allies depend on. He said the U.S. is capable of providing these countries with energy, but is prevented by the “woker darlings.” (RELATED: ‘Wishbone Where He Ought To Have A Backbone’: Sen. Kennedy Calls On Biden To Send Jets To Ukraine)
“The woker darlings and the Democratic Party will not allow President Biden to adopt an all-of-the-above energy policy which includes oil and gas. And the president just doesn’t seem to have the courage to stand up to them,” he continued.
The president banned all imports of Russian oil in a March 8 announcement, just days after imposing sanctions on four Russian banks and exports to the U.S. The administration has received bipartisan pressure to increase domestic oil production, with particular calls to reopen the Keystone XL Pipeline and reverse a ban on federal oil leases.
House Democrats struck down Republican-backed legislation on Thursday intended to approve the pipeline, restart the leasing program, and remove restrictions on natural gas exports.
Over three-quarters of Americans believe Biden should prioritize increasing domestic energy production during the war, a Trafalgar Group poll found.
The president also signed a $800 million assistance package to provide 2,000 Javelin missiles, light-anti-armor and AT-4 anti-armor systems, and millions of small arms ammunition and grenade launcher and mortar rounds.