White House says assassinating Putin is 'not the position' of the U.S. government

The White House on Friday shut down Sen. Lindsey Graham’s calls for the assassination of Vladimir Putin, as the Russian president continues to escalate his attack on Ukraine.

“That is not the position of the United States government and certainly not a statement you'd hear come from the mouths of anybody working in this administration,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, when asked for a response to the South Carolina Republican’s commentary.

Graham called for a Julius Caesar-style killing of Putin on Twitter late Thursday, referring to Brutus, a historical figure who assassinated Caesar. He also referenced Claus von Stauffenberg, an army officer who attempted and failed to kill Adolf Hitler. The suggestion drew ire from members of Congress, from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who called Graham’s comment an “incredibly bad idea” and said, “we should not be calling for the assassination of heads of state.”

“Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?” Graham tweeted. “The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country — and the world — a great service.”

Graham’s communications director sought to clarify his comments Thursday night, noting that Graham said on NewsMax that he was “okay with a coup to remove Putin as well.”

“Basic point, Putin has to go,” Kevin Bishop said on Twitter. “He also noted it will be - has to be - the Russian people who do it. They control the 'off ramp' to this ordeal.”

Psaki was also pressed on Graham’s view that a diplomatic solution is not possible as long as Putin is in power, and whether the White House shares this assessment.

“President Putin has the ability to deescalate. We have left the door open for months now to be engaged through deescalation,” Psaki said. “But no, we are not advocating for killing the leader of a foreign country or regime change. That is not the policy of the United States.”