GOP Sen. Tillis (NC) speaks out on ‘useful idiots’ of his GOP... Sen. Tillis takes on ‘useful idiots,’ Tucker Carlson, leaders silent about Russia
Danielle Battaglia
February 17, 2024
link Sen. Thom Tillis lashed out in a series of social media posts against “Russian sympathizers,” first taking aim Thursday at former Fox News reporter Tucker Carlson — and perhaps former President Donald Trump.
Carlson last week recently published a two-hour interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin that even the foreign dictator criticized for being too soft, The New York Times reported. The former Fox News host Carlson, then caught Tillis’ ire, after he toured Russia and favorably compared the country to the U.S. That included a stop at a Russian grocery store where Carlson said he could get his normal groceries for $300 cheaper.
“Ah yes, Russia is so much better than the U.S. with all those cheap groceries and lavish subway stations,” Tillis chided on social media. “The Soviets had a term for people like Tucker: useful idiots.”
“Useful idiots,” is a pejorative political term, used by more than just the former Soviet Union. In Tillis’ context, it refers to Russia sympathizers who helped spread Soviet propaganda.
Tillis criticizing Trump?
But Tillis didn’t stop there.
The news of the death of Alexei Navalny, Putin’s fiercest critic, drew Tillis to fire off another lengthy social media post. Many, including President Joe Biden, believe Putin had Navalny killed. This time in Tillis’ latest post he called out American leaders.
“Navalny laid down his life fighting for the freedom of the country he loved,” Tillis posted. “Putin is a murderous, paranoid dictator. History will not be kind to those in America who make apologies for Putin and praise Russian autocracy. Nor will history be kind to America’s leaders who stay silent because they fear backlash from online pundits.”
Tillis’ second statement may appear to be directed toward former President Donald Trump, who over the weekend in Conway, South Carolina, announced he told the leaders of NATO allies that if they did not meet their defense spending targets he would encourage Putin to “do whatever the hell” he wants to those countries.
But a Tillis spokesman said Friday, that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t directed at a single national leader. And part of the tweet was directed again at Carlson.
Trump doubled down on that messaging in a Truth Social post after receiving backlash from national leaders, including his 2024 rival, Biden, who called his words “un-American” and “dangerous.”
Tillis on Ukraine, Russia
Tillis has faced his own Russia-related criticism after an early morning vote Tuesday that approved $95 billion in military aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. That vote pitted him against North Carolina’s other Republican senator, Ted Budd, who voted against the package.
Many Republicans argue that money shouldn’t be sent to aid other countries until the U.S. secures its southern border.
Tillis, meanwhile, has fought for support of Ukraine since Russia first invaded the country two years ago.
“Why am I so focused on this vote?” Tillis asked from the Senate floor Tuesday morning. “Because I don’t want to be on the pages of history that we will regret if we walk away. You will see the alliance that is supporting Ukraine crumble. You will ultimately see China become emboldened. And I am not going to be on that page of history.”
His floor speech also included his own criticism of Putin.
The bill passed the Senate 70-29, but House Speaker Mike Johnson called it dead on arrival in his chamber. And before taking any action on the bill he dismissed the House for a nearly two week President’s Day recess.
