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Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) tweeted on Monday afternoon that his office has been receiving phone calls from viewers of Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show asking why the United States is not siding with Russia.
Russia has amassed its military near Ukraine’s eastern border, raising fears that an invasion is imminent. Politicians and pundits have offered increasingly hawkish rhetoric, and have urged the Biden administration to take a hard line on Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Carlson has been a notable exception. He has regularly warned against U.S. involvement on the grounds that Ukraine’s sovereignty is not a vital U.S. national security interest.
On Monday, Malinowski tweeted that viewers of Carlson’s show have called his office angry that the U.S. is not siding with Russia.
Critics have said Carlson’s coverage echoes pro-Russian propaganda. The host has been adamantly against taking any action that could increase the likelihood of the U.S. military getting involved in an eastern European conflict.
In fact, during a tense exchange with Rep.
Why would we take Ukraine’s side and not Russia’s side? It’s a sincere question. If you’re looking at America’s perspective, why? Who’s got the energy reserves? Who’s the major player in world affairs? Who’s the potential counterbalance against China, which is the actual threat? Why would we take Ukraine’s side? Why wouldn’t we be on Russia’s side? I’m totally confused.
Malinowski’s tweet came the same day the Department of Defense announced that 8,500 U.S. soldiers have been put on “heightened preparedness to deploy” to Europe.