MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace said Republicans are “a threat to national security” on a Monday episode of “Deadline: White House.”
The host cited Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy telling “Fox News Sunday” that “there’s strong support for NATO moving forward.” Wallace said his statement “encompasses so many of his voters.”
“That’s not true, we know that’s not true because a week ago [or] two weeks ago, 63 House Republicans voted against a purely symbolic resolution offering unequivocal support for NATO,” she said. “How do you get Democrats to get on offense and describe Republicans the way you and I see them, as a threat to national security.”
In an April 5 House vote, 63 Republicans voted against a resolution expressing support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and calling on President Joe Biden to uphold the “founding democratic principles,” Business Insider reported. Republicans voting against the resolution included Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona, the outlet reported.
The resolution, introduced by Democratic Virginia Rep. Gerald Connolly, overwhelmingly passed with a 362-63 vote, with 143 Republicans voting in favor, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Republicans Call Invasion Of Ukraine ‘Genocide,’ Urge Biden To Amp Up Arms Sharing)
Three House Republicans voted against a resolution in early March supporting the people of Ukraine, which overwhelmingly passed with a 426-3 vote. Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, and Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar opposed the resolution.
Many Republicans have been critical of Biden’s lack of response to the war in Ukraine. Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy called on the president to send MiG jets at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s behest during a March 15 appearance on Fox News.
“I think that sometimes, not always but sometimes, particularly in this instance, President Biden has a wishbone where his backbone ought to be,” Kennedy said. “Poland offered to send the planes, which Ukraine desperately needs, to an American and NATO air force base in Germany where they would be transferred to Ukraine. President Biden said ‘no, that makes me nervous.’ Well, there are other ways we can do it.”
Former President Donald Trump has been openly critical of the amount of U.S. funds given to NATO. In a June 2021 statement, Trump said the organization has “taken economic advantage of the United States for many years.” However, he had been a proponent of increasing financial contributions and got commitments from some European countries to honor their NATO spending.