Biden Ends Speech Urging That Putin 'Cannot Remain In Power'

By Red Painter — March 26, 2022

President Joe Biden is in Poland wrapping up a trip visiting NATO allies and discussing the Ukraine crisis. Prior to his return to Washington, he gave a fiery speech in Warsaw which focused on defending democratic principles. His trip is meant to unify NATO response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

At the end of his speech, Biden stated that Russian authoritarian leader, Vladimir Putin, "cannot remain in power." This statement was most likely a personal view and not one that the government holds. Do I agree with it? Yes. Do I think that is Biden's true personal feeling as well? Yes. Is he right? DEFINITELY.

Twitter instantly responded, most expressing the opinion that that this was NOT about regime change, including a White House official:

From a White House official after Biden's speech: “The President’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”

— Tarini Parti (@tparti) March 26, 2022

WH is walking back what seemed to be Biden calling for a regime change in Russia. "For god’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.”

— Tarini Parti (@tparti) March 26, 2022

That speech was not about regime change in Russia it was about the long term stakes in the fight between democracy and autocracy. Unless the Biden team formally says it has a regime change policy, I wouldn’t take one line as such a consequential shift.

— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) March 26, 2022

Observation: Biden sometimes ad-libs his way into unplanned stories at the very end of events. We’ve seen this at events where he has taken questions. He’ll stick to script for 99%, then say something off-message/questionable/irritated/colorful on the way out the door. https://t.co/P9TeBGLP6B

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 26, 2022

“The President’s point was Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change," a White House official, who declined to be named, says after Biden said, “This man cannot remain in power.”

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 26, 2022

President Biden’s speech in Warsaw was magnificent. I watched the end several times. @POTUS wanted to say, and did say, about Putin that: “this man cannot remain in power.” And he added “For God’s sake” for emphasis. This is the right thing to do: negotiate from strength. https://t.co/GwND4pegfF

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 26, 2022

Watch the entire speech here.

If Biden had not said anything like this, they would call him weak. Now they will find some other reason to blast him. But in the end, he was right. Putin cannot stay in power - for the safety of Russia, Ukraine and the world. He must go.

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