Kamala Harris Contradicts Biden’s Putin Remarks: “We Are Not Into Regime Change”

Vice President Kamala Harris was asked during a Friday appearance on MSNBC by show host Joy Reid her view on President Biden’s regime change comments directed at Russia’s Vladimir Putin the prior Saturday in Warsaw. In line with White House efforts in the days following Biden’s speech, she too sought to walk back any suggestion that Washington is actively seeking Putin’s overthrow, saying “we are not into regime change.” 

“Let me be very clear. We are not into regime change. And that is not our policy. Period,” Harris told Reid. She said this after rambling on for a couple of minutes in response to what was initially a simple yes or no question of “whether he [Putin] should remain” in power. The segment started with Reid asking “President Biden said Vladimir Putin should no longer be leader of Russia, do you agree?“

Kamala Harris was asked if she backs regime change in Russia. Harris the US will support the Ukrainian whilst making sure Putin faces consequences. pic.twitter.com/NXftPM6tC5

— Apex World News (@apexworldnews) April 2, 2022

She explained further in reaction to Biden’s prior “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power” remarks…  

“Our policy from the beginning has been about ensuring that there are going to be real costs exacted against Russia in the form of severe sanctions, which we know are having a real impact and an immediate impact, not to mention the longer-term impact, which is about saying there’s going to be consequence and accountability when you commit the kinds of atrocities that he is committing,” VP Harris said.

And here’s the moment she dubiously stated that the US doesn’t do regime change…

JOE BIDEN: “For God’s sake, [Putin] cannot remain in power.”

KAMALA HARRIS: “We are not into regime change, and that is not our policy. Period. Yeah.”

So… which is it? pic.twitter.com/syH1EJ6jeh

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 2, 2022

We should immediately point out the obvious concerning her assertion… given the glaring examples of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria – or even going back to the 1953 Iranian coup d’état, or the 1980’s CIA role in Central America – one could argue that in recent history that regime change has in fact been US policy across various parts of the globe.

The Sunday after Biden’s controversial Warsaw speech, which the Kremlin rejected and condemned – but also said wouldn’t match in terms of escalatory rhetoric – Antony Blinken became the highest US official to try and downplay the president’s words. 

“I think the president, the White House, made the point last night that, quite simply, President Putin cannot be empowered to wage war or engage in aggression against Ukraine or anyone else,” the top US diplomat told the Sunday news shows.

To recall, here are Biden’s words from the prior Saturday in Warsaw, where he said the quiet part out loud…

Biden said the quiet part out loud “[Putin] cannot remain in power” & now everyone knows the real intention is “Regime Change” in Russia. No amount of spin can change that now. U.S. is run by warmongering psychos pic.twitter.com/Z5NOfcG88E https://t.co/ZnZeOu1fB9

— Jimmy Dore (@jimmy_dore) March 26, 2022