Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, defended his support for President Trump’s policies on Monday’s episode of “The View,” but did say he has a bad habit of taking Russian President Vladimir Putin at his word and repeating it.
Despite that, Crenshaw did say Trump’s actions toward Russia has been to the benefit of the United States and its allies.
“Let’s talk about the fact he met with Putin for 90 minutes this week, or last week, and never once brought up the fact that Russia — Russia — interfered in our elections. He never brought it up,” co-host Joy Behar said.
“How is it that the Republican Party, your colleagues can stand by this man when he is involved in this way with Russia? I mean, I said last week I don’t want to see any of those flag pins anymore on Republicans who don’t stand up against this guy for Russian meddling and other things that he’s done. It seems as though he’s unpatriotic. What do you say to that?” she asked Crenshaw.
“I think we’re overstating. I mean, first of all, that meeting was regarding Venezuela. Now I will give you this, the president has a bad habit of repeating what Putin says to the public, and he shouldn’t do that, but he also has a pretty good habit of actions and putting policies that are vehemently counter Russia,” Crenshaw said.
[Read: Trump has hourlong talk with Putin about Mueller report, Venezuela, nukes]
Crenshaw listed policies Trump has been put in place, such as giving lethal aid to Ukraine to use to fight Russian militants, having European allies spend more on defense, and having Europe buy American natural gas instead using Russian natural gas.
When asked by co-host Sunny Hostin about what Trump has done to protect the homeland, Crenshaw used the increase of cyber defense as a critical example.
In 2017, Trump approved then-Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis’ recommendation to elevate United States Cyber Command from a sub-unified command under United States Strategic Command, which it had been since 2010, to a Unified Combatant Command.
“The decision to elevate USCYBERCOM was seen as a recognition of the growing centrality of cyberspace to U.S. national security and an acknowledgment of the changing nature of warfare. USCYBERCOM became a CCMD May 4, 2018, during the combined Change of Command/Change of Directorship ceremony at the new Integrated Cyber Center/Joint Operations Center (ICC/JOC) located at Fort Meade,” U.S. CYBERCOM said.
Crenshaw said it was fine criticize Trump, but it needs to be put in context.
[Read more: Hillary Clinton says Vladimir Putin is ‘playing’ Trump]
