Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested President Joe Biden was to blame for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine during his Friday morning appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
‘We’ve seen a Russian dictator now terrorize the Ukrainian people because America didn’t demonstrate the resolve that we did for the four years prior,’ said Pompeo, who was former President Donald Trump’s CIA Director before heading State.
He bragged that the previous administration was more adept than the current one.
‘I remember too, I remember we were the barbarians, we were the rubes, we didn’t know what we doing,’ he told the crowd. ‘Pretty competent now.’
‘I say that not in joy, but in sorrow, because America demands good leadership and the world is depending upon it,’ he continued.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested President Joe Biden was to blame for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine during his Friday morning appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference
Pompeo has been criticized for lauding Putin in the run-up to the Russian president’s deadly assault on his sovereign neighbor.
In a February 18 interview with the National Interest Pompeo described Putin as ‘very savvy’ and ‘very shrewd.’
‘I consider him an elegantly sophisticated counterpart and one who is not reckless but has always done the math,’ he said.
Five days later, while traveling to Iowa, Pompeo continued to compliment Putin but said he needed to be ‘crushed.’
‘Vladimir Putin is smart and cunning and capable. He’s also evil and should be crushed,’ Pompeo told The Des Moines Register.
‘I was taught you need to know your adversary, you need to know your enemy. You shouldn’t pretend your enemy is weak,’ Pompeo added.
On Friday before his CPAC experience, Pompeo wouldn’t say if he regretted his language when an NBC News reporter pointed out that he had called Putin ‘shrewd’ and ‘capable,’ and said he had ‘enormous respect’ for the Russian dictator.
‘I’ve been fighting communism since I was a teenager. I’m going to keep fighting communism,’ Pompeo answered.
His left foot was in a boot, so he was wheeling through the Orlando conference on a scooter.
NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard tried again, asking Pompeo if he regretted his language.
‘I have worked my entire life to make sure the United States was free of communistic dictatorships, I understand my enemy, I always call my enemy for what he is,’ Pompeo said.
Pompeo stayed quiet when asked why he spoke words that sounded like ‘soft praise’ of Putin.
Trump has been more overt about his position on Putin throughout the week, describing him as ‘genius’ and ‘smart’ in the lead-up to the invasion.
The ex-president also pushed that the attack wouldn’t have happened if he remained in the White House.
State Department spokesman Ned Price was asked about both Trump and Pompeo’s comments at his briefing on Wednesday.
‘I have no response. In fact I have no words,’ Price said.
Pompeo is among the Republicans who are being eyed as presidential material for 2024, though he’d likely not run if Trump entered the race.
One clue that he might have higher ambitions is his 90-pound weight loss in a six-month period.
As he walked on the CPAC stage – sans scooter – an audience member commended his new look.
‘It’s hard work and praying that I could keep it off with y’all. I would appreciate that,’ he said.
When asked by DailyMail.com how he injured his foot, he wouldn’t say.
‘I’m good, the Lord’s taking care of it,’ Pompeo said as he wheeled himself away.
