OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be suffering from some physical ailment as the result of COVID-19.
While speaking with MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell, Pelosi weighed in on whether something deeper was behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I don’t know what is the matter there,” Pelosi began. “I’ve talked to head of state who have met with him, and they just take at face value the evil that he is putting forth is something that we have to deal with, they’re not making a diagnosis of his health.”
Pelosi then suggested that some have speculated about whether or not there was an underlying cause with Putin.
“Some people say he has cancer, and some people say brain fog from COVID. Other people just think he’s a complete raging bully. But whatever it is, the people of Ukraine are paying the price for it,” she added.
WATCH:
Pelosi is asked to speculate about whats going on with Putin:
"Some people say he has cancer, and some people say brain fog from COVID. Other people just think he's a complete raging bully. But whatever it is, the people of Ukraine are paying the price for it." pic.twitter.com/LVCxnaKtX0
— The Recount (@therecount) March 1, 2022
As noted in a report from The Hill, the White House has also openly questioned Putin’s mental state.
“Experts, analysts, lawmakers, and even administration officials have speculated that Putin’s isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised his paranoia. They’ve pointed to decisions he’s made such as the invasion itself and his move on Sunday to put his nuclear forces on alert in suggesting he is not making rational decisions,” The Hill reported.
During an interview on ABC News, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked about Putin’s mental state and whether she had any information to share.
Psaki didn’t offer any specifics, but it’s telling that she was even asked about it.
“I’m not going to make an assessment of his mental stability, but I will tell you, certainly the rhetoric, the actions, the justification that he’s making for his actions are certainly deeply concerning to us,” she said.
Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a dire warning about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The senator said he believed that “something is off” with Putin, who he said has become “even more dangerous” than he was before, in a tweet shared on Twitter on Monday.
“I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it’s pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago,” the senator said.
I wish I could share more,but for now I can say it’s pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin
He has always been a killer,but his problem now is different & significant
It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 26, 2022
The indication is that Rubio has some classified information that he cannot share.
The senator has more to say about Putin and how important it is for him to be perceived as strong.
“This is the most dangerous moment in 60 years #Putin’s is facing a humiliating military fiasco & he has triggered extraordinary consequences on #Russia’s economy & people that will not be easy to reverse,” he said. “And his only options to reset this imbalance are catastrophic ones.”
This is the most dangerous moment in 60 years#Putin’s is facing a humiliating military fiasco & he has triggered extraordinary consequences on #Russia’s economy & people that will not be easy to reverse
And his only options to reset this imbalance are catastrophic ones
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 28, 2022
“Understand for #Putin being seeing [sic] as ‘strong’ is essential #UkraineRussiaWar has been humiliating. He is using cluster bombs & other terror tactics to break the will to resist,” the senator said.
Understand for #Putin being seeing as “strong” is essential #UkraineRussiaWar has been humiliating
He is using cluster bombs & other terror tactics to break the will to resist
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 28, 2022
“DANGER #Putin’s legitimacy built on image as the strong leader who restored #Russia to superpower after the disasters of the 90’s Now the economy is in shambles & the military is being humiliated & his only tools to reestablish power balance with the West is cyber & nukes,” he said in a dire warning.
DANGER#Putin’s legitimacy built on image as the strong leader who restored #Russia to superpower after the disasters of the 90’s
Now the economy is in shambles & the military is being humiliated & his only tools to reestablish power balance with the West is cyber & nukes
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 28, 2022
