Biden calls Putin a 'crazy SOB,' Kremlin responds
United States (US) President Joe Biden labeled his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "crazy SOB" while attending an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. His remarks triggered a sharp response from the Kremlin, which stated that Biden's comments were a poor attempt to appear like a "Hollywood cowboy." Biden is on a three-day West Coast tour. He is attending fundraising events in California to raise money for his election campaign, which has already collected $130 million.
Why does this story matter?
Biden is known for making off-the-cuff remarks during election fundraisers. He had earlier criticized the Chinese government, the Republican Party, and even US ally Israel for its bombing of the Gaza Strip. Over the years, his attacks on Putin have also increased. Previously, he called the Russian leader a "butcher" and a "war criminal" for ordering the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. More recently, he blamed Putin and "his thugs" for opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death.
Kremlin's response to Biden's remark
In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that such language against another nation's leader degrades the US and those who use it. Peskov said that Biden was trying to act like a "Hollywood cowboy" but failed. The Russian diplomat also highlighted that Putin has never used crude language toward Biden or any other leader.
Existential threat to humanity is climate: Biden
At the San Francisco fundraiser, Biden also discussed the potential for a nuclear conflict but stressed that climate change remains the most significant threat to humanity. He said, "We have a crazy SOB like Putin and others, and we always have to worry about nuclear conflict, but the existential threat to humanity is climate." This is not the first time that Biden has called someone "SOB." In 2022, he was caught using the same term for a reporter.
US-Russia relations worsen under Biden
US-Russian relations have worsened due to Biden's reactions to Russia's invasion of Ukraine two years ago. This led to sanctions from the US and other Western countries. Biden recently unveiled a significant set of sanctions against Russia in response to Navalny's death and the conflict in Ukraine. In contrast, former President Donald Trump has consistently praised Putin, even likening himself to Navalny and implying they both experienced politically motivated prosecutions.
