Representative Eric Swalwell accused former President Trump of “rooting” for Russia in their war effort against Ukraine and alleged if he were still in office, the former President would be running arms to Vladimir Putin.
Swalwell made the comments on social media.
The California Democrat roped Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo into his criticism of those he alleges are ‘pro-Russia.’
“Do not let Republicans rewrite whose side they were on before Russia attacked Ukraine. Led by Trump/Tucker/Pompeo many were rooting for Russia,” he wrote. “Let’s be real: if Trump was president we’d be sending weapons to Russia.”
Do not let Republicans rewrite whose side they were on before Russia attacked Ukraine. Led by Trump/Tucker/Pompeo many were rooting for Russia. Let’s be real: if Trump was president we’d be sending weapons to Russia. #StandWithUkriane
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 27, 2022
RELATED: Flashback: Trump Slammed NATO Leaders For Being ‘Totally Controlled’ By Russia
Swalwell Took Donations From Russia ‘Putin Pipeline’ Lobbyist
Swalwell accusing Republicans of being cozy with Russia may be a bit of projection on the congressman’s part.
The Washington Free Beacon reports that Swalwell’s campaign received a $2,900 donation in 2018 and a $5,400 donation to his campaign in 2018 from Vincent Roberti Sr., who chairs the group Roberti Global.
Roberti is reportedly a top lobbyist for Nord Stream 2 AG, the group behind the Russian pipeline at the center of European politics and which President Biden recently sanctioned after that country invaded Ukraine.
Senate Democrats just last month defended Nord Stream 2 by rejecting an effort by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to impose sanctions related to the Russian-German natural gas pipeline before Biden had to relent after the invasion.
On Russia, history will remember Pro-Putin enablers like you. https://t.co/kTVWc4XVVr pic.twitter.com/oxJRixIm9r
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) December 7, 2021
RELATED: CNN Journalists Dust Off ‘Russian Collusion’ Claims To Blame Trump For Putin Invading Ukraine
Trump Sent Weapons to Ukraine
ABC News reported in October of 2019 that President Trump had approved the sale of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.
His administration first approved the sale of $47 million worth of 210 Javelin missiles and 37 launchers to Ukraine in December 2017.
The Washington Post reports that the weapons were more of a “strategic deterrent” to Russia.
When Putin invaded Crimea, Obama and Biden sent Ukraine blankets.
When President Trump took office, he sent them weapons and ammo.
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) February 28, 2022
Trump later froze $400 million in congressionally approved security assistance to Ukraine after a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
That phone call later became the focus of a successful impeachment effort against Trump.
The former President later released the military aid.
That anyone believes this garbage is bad not just because it’s typical partisan garbage, but because it obscures a key cause of the conflict: that Trump chose to demonstrate how Tough he was by pumping weapons into Ukraine, turning the country into a de facto US military outpost https://t.co/nXQ118J0CL
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) February 27, 2022
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko went to Washington in 2014, when Barack Obama and Joe Biden were in office, and pleaded his case for weapons to defend his country.
He declared at the time “one cannot win a war with blankets.”
Following his speech, The Wall Street Journal reported that “President Barack Obama stuck to his refusal to provide weapons or other lethal military gear to Ukraine.”
RUSSIAN INVASION: “ IF I WERE PRESIDENT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED” – TRUMP
“I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country.” – Donald J. Trump.
The former President was speaking at the CPAC conservative gathering? pic.twitter.com/oZxEnY8MDk
— Professor Yussuf Mohamed Arlaadi (@PArlaadi) February 28, 2022
Trump has insisted that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would not have happened if he were President.
“This should have never happened. This would not have happened during my administration,” he said. “It’s a sad thing for the world and the country and a lot of people that will be needlessly killed.”
A recent poll shows that a majority of Americans – 62% – agree that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump were President.
Swalwell recently suggested “kicking every Russian student out of the United States” as a means of retaliating against Putin, something that had it been suggested by a Republican would have resulted in charges of xenophobia.
