A super PAC supporting former Vice President Mike Pence’s presidential campaign is hitting out at former President Trump for his previous praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a new TV ad.
The TV ad, titled “Strength” and rolled out Thursday, was launched by Committed to America and is part of a $150,000 ad buy. The ad will air on Fox News and digital platforms in the first presidential state of Iowa for 10 days, according to the super PAC.
The announcement headlines comments made by Trump in February 2022, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in which he called Putin a “genius” and a “scholar” during an interview on “The Clay”. Travis and Buck Sexton Show” as he spoke about the Russian president’s strategy in recognizing two Ukrainian separatist territories. Pence and other top Republicans like House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (California) walked away from Trump’s remarks.
The ad also features a photo of Trump shaking hands with the North Korean leader, in addition to a message from Trump congratulating Kim after North Korea joined the board of the World Health Organization.
“America can’t stand thugs and dictators. We confront them — or at least we used to,” a narrator says in the 30-second ad.
“There can be no place in the leadership of the Republican Party for Putin apologists. There can only be room for champions of freedom,” Pence can later be heard saying in the ad.
The announcement comes a week after Pence made a surprise trip to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, becoming the only 3,034 presidential candidate to visit the country so far since his candidacy was announced.
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