Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) criticized remarks made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) regarding the alleged Pentagon leaker, going as far as calling her statement “irresponsible” and saying comments like it hinders the United States’ ability to defend itself.
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week” with host Jonathon Karl, Graham said anybody defending the leaks of classified information was putting the United States in “danger.” The South Carolina Republican also said he was shocked the alleged leaker, 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, had access to the documents in the first place.
“What they’re suggesting will destroy America’s ability to defend itself,” Graham told Karl regarding comments defending the alleged leaker. “That it’s okay to release classified information based on your political views. That the ends justify the means. It is not okay.” he added.
Shortly after Teixeira’s arrest on Thursday, Greene tweeted, “Jake Teixeira is white, male, Christian, and antiwar. That makes him an enemy to the Biden regime. And he told the truth about troops being on the ground in Ukraine and a lot more. Ask yourself who is the real enemy? A young low level national guardsmen? Or the administration that is waging war in Ukraine, a non-NATO nation, against nuclear Russia without war powers?”
After Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene defends alleged Pentagon leaker, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham tells @jonkarl, “For any member of Congress to suggest it’s OK to leak classified information because you agree with the cause is terribly irresponsible." https://t.co/n5PvaC6H4o pic.twitter.com/7OUh4e0tON
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 16, 2023
In the interview, Graham touted the United States intelligence community but said the leaks had restricted the ability to gather intelligence from human resources on the ground.
“If you’re a member of the military intelligence community and you disagree with American policy, and you think you’re gonna be okay when it comes to leaking classified information, you’re gonna go to jail,” Graham told Karl.
“It’s one of the most irresponsible statements you could make,” Graham said. “For any member of Congress to suggest it’s okay to leak classified information because you agree with the cause is terribly irresponsible and puts America in serious danger.”
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Greene has said the Biden administration was “caught lying” about the war in Ukraine, and the administration is in “spin mode” blaming Teixeira, all while “ginning up full government censorship.”
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The Biden Admin and Pentagon have been caught lying about the war they are funding and fighting against Russia in Ukraine, but they are in full spin mode blaming low level 21 yr old National Guardsman, Jake Teixeira, while they are ginning up full government censorship. https://t.co/iB5oihk84J— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) April 14, 2023
Some of the leaked documents include conditions on the battlefield in Ukraine, including potential vulnerabilities in the country’s air defense capabilities and suggestions the U.S. believes the war could drag on.
Sen. Graham has been a staunch supporter of the United States sending aid to Ukraine, even advocating for training Ukrainians to fly F-16s and creating an international tribunal to try Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Greene, who has been critical of the aid, has introduced a bill requesting an audit of military aid to Ukraine.
“That is exactly what the American people need, an audit of Ukraine, because we have no idea where all this money’s going,” Greene told Fox News host Tucker Carlson in February.