White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Friday lambasted GOP Sen. Tom Cotton after the Arkansas Republican argued the U.S. needed to do more for Ukraine despite voting against billions of dollars in aid for the war-torn country last week.
“Tom Cotton had a chance last week to back his words with actions by voting for the security assistance for Ukraine that the President announced yesterday,” Psaki tweeted. “He and 30 of his fellow Senate Republicans voted against that money.”
Psaki was responding to a Cotton tweet from Wednesday in which the senator said: “No more timidity and half measures. It’s time to send Ukraine the weapons needed to end this invasion.”
The White House spokeswoman then listed several ways in which the funding bill assisted Ukraine, including $13.6 billion in aid for anti-aircraft defense systems, anti-tank weapons, smaller weapons for the Ukrainian military, and millions of rounds of ammunition.
“Our assistance is making a difference on the ground, and the President is delivering more,” Psaki wrote.
Cotton was among 31 Republicans who voted against a bill that included $1.5 trillion in government funding and the $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine as it attempts to fend off a Russian invasion.
In an effort to score political points, conservatives have been attacking Biden for not sending enough aid to Ukraine while also voting against sending that aid.
The Arkansas senator defended his vote, tweeting that “The aid was <1% of an inflation-busting $1.5 trillion budget," and complaining that Biden should have sent the aid before the Russian invasion.
.@TomCottonAR had a chance last week to back his words with actions by voting for the security assistance for Ukraine that the President announced yesterday.
He and 30 of his fellow Senate Republicans voted against that money. https://t.co/yyZ3BQHL0j
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 18, 2022
Those 31 Republican Senators voted against:
-$13.6 billion for Ukraine
-800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems
-9000 anti-tank weapons
-7000 small arms
-20 million rounds of ammunitionOur assistance is making a difference on the ground, and the President is delivering more
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 18, 2022
