Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of "trying to interfere" with the upcoming November election after the Ukranian leader attended a Democrat event in a pivotal swing state.
Prior to attending the Monday event at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, which produces 155mm artillery shells for the military, in Pennsylvania with Gov. Josh Shapiro, Zelensky sat with The New Yorker for an interview. In the interview, Zelensky alleged former President Donald Trump "doesn't really know how to stop" Ukraine's military conflict with Russia "even if he might think he knows how."
"With this war, oftentimes, the deeper you look at it the less you understand. I've seen many leaders who were convinced they knew how to end it tomorrow, and as they waded deeper into it, they
The Ukrainian leader went on to label Trump's running mate, Ohio realized it's not that simple," Zelensky said. Sen. J.D. Vance, "too radical" and claimed his plan was to "give up [Ukrainian] territories."
"His message seems to be that Ukraine must make a sacrifice," Zelensky said. "The idea that the world should end this war at Ukraine's expense is unacceptable. This would be an awful idea, if a person were actually going to carry it out, to make Ukraine shoulder the costs of stopping the war by giving up its territories. But there's certainly no way this could ever happen. This kind of scenario would have no basis in international norms, in U.N. statute, in justice."
Zelensky went on to call opposition to Ukraine's efforts against Russia "sloganeering."
The Texas senator discussed Zelensky's remarks on Trump and Vance during the latest episode of his podcast, Verdict.
“Who the hell is Zelensky to be trying to interfere in our election?” Cruz asked co-host Ben Ferguson. “The arrogance of this guy … And the guy, I’ve got to say, is an absolute moron for coming to the U.S. six weeks before the election and attacking Trump and Vance.” Who the hell is Zelenskyy to be interfering in our election?
He is an absolute moron for coming to the U.S. six weeks before the election and campaigning for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania.https://t.co/OznQWmP6af pic.twitter.com/ailXnE97ni
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 25, 2024
“I don’t care if Zelensky likes or dislikes what they have to say, if he had the sense God gave a cricket, he would have said on that question, ‘You know what? I’m not going to comment about U.S. elections, that’s for the people of America to decide,'” Cruz continued. “That would have been smart. But you know what, Kamala Harris is perfectly happy to use this guy as essentially a campaign prop. And as I said, it is absolutely infuriating.”
Cruz said Zelensky's comments were "dumb on his part" and suggested the Ukrainian leader would have a "huge problem that just got bigger" if Trump's bid for reelection is successful this November.
“And if Trump loses, you know, good luck trying to get Republicans to listen to what he has to say if he just behaves like a Democrat campaign activist," Cruz continued.
“I’ve never seen this happen in my entire life, and I think it really was a bad, bad mistake by Zelensky,” Cruz said, adding the remarks were "remarkably foolish" and "one of the greatest unforced errors I've seen a foreign leader do."
During the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, Shapiro was recorded autographing shells to be used in Ukraine's war against Russia while flanked by Zelensky. We must all do our part in the fight for freedom — from the workers in Scranton who make Pennsylvania the arsenal of democracy to the brave Ukrainian soldiers protecting their country.
We stand with Ukraine in their just defense of their homeland in the face of Russian… pic.twitter.com/5VnYRfQOm5
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) September 23, 2024
On Wednesday, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, who serves as chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, announced that he is requesting documents from the White House, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice regarding Zelensky's visit.
“If the Biden-Harris Administration attempted to use a foreign leader to benefit the Vice President’s presidential campaign, this is an abuse of power and misuse of taxpayer dollars,” he said, similarly alleging that Zelensky’s visit could interfere in the 2024 presidential election.
“This rhetoric coming from a foreign leader released in anticipation of a U.S.-taxpayer-funded visit about the current Administration’s political opponent is highly concerning,” Comer continued. “The Committee believes no foreign actor … should be permitted to interfere in American elections."
