A “60 Minutes” segment broadcast on Sunday caused an uproar after the show reported that American taxpayers are “subsidizing” Ukraine’s economy and paying for all of Ukraine’s first responders.
The news comes as a recent Fox News poll found that 56% of Republicans say the U.S. should be sending less support to Ukraine. A recent CNN poll found that 55% of Americans say Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine.
“American taxpayers are financing more than just weapons. We discovered the U.S. government’s buying seeds and fertilizer for Ukrainian farmers… and covering the salaries of Ukraine’s first responders – all 57,000 of them,” the CBS News show reported. “That includes the team that trains this rescue dog – named Joy – to comb through the wreckage of Russian strikes looking for survivors.”
“And the U.S. also funds the divers who we saw clearing unexploded ammunition from the country’s rivers – to make them safe again for swimming and fishing,” the segment continued. “Russia’s invasion shrank Ukraine’s economy by about a third. We were surprised to find that to keep it afloat the U.S. government is subsidizing small businesses.”
WATCH:
60 Minutes discovered the U.S. is financing more than weapons in Ukraine. The government is buying seeds/fertilizer for farmers, paying the salaries of 57,000 first responders and subsidizing small businesses. https://t.co/vKWwWDqUwM pic.twitter.com/BxXItNgQce
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 24, 2023
Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell responded to the video: “Billions for Ukrainian farmers, first responders and Ukrainian entrepreneurs?! Why? The U.S. should be doing the tough work of peacemaking. We need aggressive diplomats if you want to avoid war. Where is the draft peace plan?”
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“Such things shouldn’t need to be discovered by media outlets,” said Fox News contributor Guy Benson. “If this is what we are subsidizing, make a fully transparent case for it.”
Fox News co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy added: “As American farmers, ranchers & small businesses suffer from Biden’s climate/energy policies & basic city services are strained & cut because of his open border policies, Joe Biden is subsidizing THIS!!??!! Don’t tell me Biden isn’t compromised.”