President Joe Biden kicked off his third State of the Union address talking not about the United States, but Ukraine, attacking former President Donald Trump.
Biden did not immediately state that “the State of the Union is strong” but directed his address to the topic of Ukraine, of which the United States has given billions of taxpayer dollars.
“Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans, in January 1941, Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to speak to the nation,” Biden said, explaining that Roosevelt addressed the nation on a “moment unprecedented in history of the union.”
“President Roosevelt’s purpose was to wake up Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary time. Freedom and democracy were under assault in the world. Tonight, I come to this same chamber to address the nation. Now, it’s we who face unprecedented moment in history of the union. And yes, our purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment either,” he continued, telling the chamber that freedom and democracy are “under attack at both at home and overseas at the very same time.”
U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace during an unannounced visit in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)
“Putin of Russia is on the march invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond. If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you he will not,” Biden said at the beginning of his speech.
“Ukraine can stop Putin, if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons to defend. That is that is all Ukraine is asking. They’re not asking for American soldiers. In fact, there are no American soldiers war in Ukraine. And I’m determined to keep it that way,” Biden said, continuing to speak about Ukraine rather than the state of the nation and bashing former President Donald Trump, accusing him of wanting to bow down to the Russian leader.
“I think it’s outrageous. It’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable,” Biden added.
Trump, responding live to Biden’s speech on Truth Social, stated, “Putin only invaded Ukraine, because he has no respect for Biden. Would have never happened under the Trump Administration, and for four years it didn’t happen!”
