The White House and other lawmakers are seeking to clarify President Joe Biden’s latest remark about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During a speech in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday, Biden said, “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.”
Biden was later asked if he was calling for a regime change.
He replied, “No.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken walked back the comments during a press conference in Jerusalem Sunday.
“Quite simply, President Putin cannot be empowered to wage war or engage in aggression against Ukraine or anyone else. We do not have a strategy of regime change in Russia or anywhere else, for that matter,” Blinken said.
Watch their comments below:
Biden said that Putin “cannot remain in power” during a speech in Poland — but moments later, the White House appeared to walk back his fiery comment. https://t.co/HRH3rN0b7D pic.twitter.com/1d9vFp8Ci4
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 28, 2022
Additionally, a White House official told The Hill in a statement, “The president’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”
Lawmakers including Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Cory Booker (D-N.Y.) also sought to clarify the president’s comments.
Klobuchar explained during an appearance on “This Week” Biden “was talking about that Vladimir Putin has got to stay out of NATO countries” and it is “very clear” he was not discussing a regime change.
Booker suggested the administration has “made it clear that the goal of the United States is not regime change in Russia.”
Sen. James Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Biden “gave a good speech” but “there was a horrendous gaffe right at the end of it.”
He continued, “I wish he would stay on script. Whoever wrote that speech did a good job for him. But my gosh, I wish they would keep him on script.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) told NBC Biden’s speech was “very strong, despite the ad-lib at the end, and the gaffe at the end.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov issued a statement following Biden’s remark, as The Washington Post reported.
“That’s not for Biden to decide,” Peskov said. “The president of Russia is elected by Russians.”