US Senator Lindsey Graham is facing intense pushback from all corners of Washington after calling for the Russian people to end the Ukraine war by assassinating President Vladimir Putin.
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that it is "not the position of the United States government."
Graham, a former Air Force lawyer and longtime defence hawk, tweeted Thursday evening that "the only people who can fix this" are Russians.
"The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out," Graham tweeted. "You would be doing your country - and the world - a great service."
The tweet drew swift pushback from some of the most conservative and liberal members of Congress. Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz called it "an exceptionally bad idea" whil Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican denounced this week for speaking at an event organised by a white nationalist, said Graham's tweet was "irresponsible, dangerous & unhinged."
On Friday, Psaki dismissed Graham's idea out of hand.
"That is not the position of the United States government and certainly not a statement you'd hear come from the mouth of anybody working in this administration," she said.
Graham's comment comes at a fraught time for the White House, which is orchestrating a tough Western response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine while trying to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia for fear of triggering a broader war.
The US has ruled out sending troops to Ukraine and hasn't agreed to a no-fly zone over Ukraine that could lead to clashes with Russian warplanes.
The White House has asked Congress for $10 billion in emergency funding, with money going toward humanitarian aid and security needs. Approval could come as soon as next week. Congress members are also pushing the Biden administration to halt oil imports from Russia, a move that could tighten the vice on the country's increasingly isolated economy.
But Graham is alone in encouraging attempts on Putin's life. Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, called his comments "unacceptable and outrageous."
Graham and his Senate colleagues will have an opportunity to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly on Saturday in a video call.
Australian Associated Press
