Republican Warns Putin's Propaganda 'Being Uttered' in Congress

Representative Mike Turner, an Ohio Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN's Jake Tapper on State of the Union on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin's propaganda is "being uttered on the House floor."

It has been a little over two years since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The United States has been among Kyiv's largest backers, but support for sending additional aid to the war-torn country is dwindling among some Republican lawmakers.

Earlier this week, Representative Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Puck's Julia Ioffe: "I think Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it's infected a good chuck of my party's base."

When asked if he agrees with McCaul's recent comments, Turner said on CNN on Sunday: "It is absolutely true."

He continued: "We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor. There are members of Congress today who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which of course it is not. To the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus democracy battle, which is what it is."

The congressman also said that "Ukraine needs our help and assistance now" since it is "a very critical time for the U.S. Congress to step up and provide that aid."

While the Senate has already passed a $95.34 billion foreign aid package that includes $61 billion for Ukraine and is supported by President Joe Biden, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has been slow to act.

However, Turner said last week on CBS News' Face the Nation that Johnson "has made very clear statements that when we get back, it's the next top agenda."

The House has been on a two-week recess, but will be back in session on Tuesday.

Turner told fill-in host Ed O'Keefe last Sunday: "I believe this is going to have overwhelming support in Congress and we'll put a bill on the president's desk."

Johnson, however, will not put the Senate bill on the floor, but instead the House will move forward with its own package. It is unclear what this bill will look like as some Republican lawmakers involved in discussions about an aid package say they haven't seen the final text of the bill, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Newsweek reached out to Johnson's office via email for comment.