Vivek Ramaswamy suggests U.S. may be aiding Ukraine because of Hunter Biden
By: NBC News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Aug. 6, 2023, 5:22 AM UTCBy Alex Tabet and Katherine Koretski
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy implied Saturday that American involvement in the war in Ukraine may be because of President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden.
"The purpose of the U.S. military [is] to advance American interests, to protect the homeland. Not to aimlessly fight some random war that's arguably a repayment for a private bribe that a family member of the United States received, $5 million from Burisma," said Ramaswamy, speaking at a campaign event to a crowd of about 60 Iowans in Council Bluffs.
Ramaswamy, who's crisscrossing Iowa in a bid to win the Republican nomination, has been highly critical of U.S. foreign policy in Ukraine while on the trail.
"Was the payment to Hunter Biden corrupt? Absolutely it was. Do I think that it has some relationship towards our posture toward Ukraine? I think it's likely that it does," Ramaswamy said.
Ramaswamy's comments were an apparent reference to an alleged bribe involving both the president and his son. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., has claimed he was told by a whistleblower — whose claims are uncorroborated — about a tip regarding a $5 million payment from a foreign national to Joe Biden, then vice president, and a family member "relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions."
Republicans later identified the other family member as Hunter Biden, who served at the time as an attorney and board member of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company.
The White House has denied the president had any participation in his son's business dealings.
Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, was questioned by the Republican-led House oversight committee on Monday. According to transcripts from the closed-door interview, Archer said the president's son used the Biden "brand" to his advantage while working for Burisma.
He also testified that he had no knowledge of the president altering U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine to help his son.
Archer said Hunter Biden would put his father on speakerphone in front of business associates at dinners, but those conversations centered around small talk like the weather.
Russia invaded Ukraine in the winter of 2022, years after Biden left Burisma's board. Since the invasion, the Biden administration and Congress have given billions of dollars of aid to Ukraine despite polls that show the American people are split on sending more funding.
Alex Tabet
Alex Tabet is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.
Katherine Koretski
Katherine Koretski is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.
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Another far right nutcase inflicting himself on the American people.
MAGA baby !
Thanks for being his mouthpiece. I would have never known what he said if you hadn't told me.
They could also blame Hunter for Climate Change...
No, the loons on the left have already blamed conservatives for it.
He can say whatever he wants, but everybody knows there would never be a Republican POTUS named Ramaswami.
Maybe but which minority that was on the 2020 democratic ticket do we call president today?
Oh, wait.....it's an old white guy. The thing most leftists hate more than anything else.
Kinda bigoted statement, dontcha think?
No, probably just don't see it through blinders.
Lol. Calling out a bigoted statement instead of the glaringly obvious bigoted Republican mindset the statement is based on. You never disappoint.
Well, at least you admit to it.
Step one complete
This is what happens when an official allows their integrity to be comprised. Bidens took millions from Burisma and Biden pushed the Ukrainian government to act in accord with Burisma's wishes. That Ukrainians have information to blackmail the Biden's is certainly possible. At this point, who could think Biden is an honest broker?
Ramaswami is rising slowly in the polls, so what does he do with that? He is a smart enough businessman to know he when to buy a chunk of poltical 'red-meat' and throw into the feeding pool! Apparently, Hunter Biden is as good to consume as a steak in red states!
Ramaswamy is just auditioning for Trump World...