California Democrat Eric Swalwell suggested last week that the U.S. government should think about sending Russian students home in response to the Ukraine conflict.
QUICK FACTS:
- While appearing on CNN, Swalwell said he thought the government should start taking more drastic measures to retaliate against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
- “Frankly, I think closing their embassy in the United States, kicking every Russian student out of the United States, those should all be on the table,” Swalwell said.
SWALWELL’S REASONING FOR KICKING OUT RUSSIAN STUDENTS:
“Vladimir Putin needs to know every day that he is in Ukraine, there are more severe options that could come.”
BACKGROUND:
- The pushback against Swalwell was swift, even from fellow Democrats.
- “All Russians are not to blame for Putin’s imperialism,” progressive podcast host Kyle Kulinski tweeted. “Swalwell is a raging bigot.”
- “This is empty hawkish posturing that would punish students while doing nothing to help Ukrainians,” said Matt Duss, a foreign policy adviser for Sen. Bernie Sanders.
