Statement-Congressman Gabe Amo: “America First is rapidly turning into Putin First & America Alone”
Congressman Amo participates in today’s Europe Subcommittee hearing titled “Bridging the Gap: Turkey Between East and West”
Vice Ranking Member defends foreign aid for Armenia, calls out Republican silence on Trump siding with dictators over democracy
From The Office of Congressman Gabe Amo:
Today, Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Gabe Amo (RI-01) blasted Republicans during a Subcommittee on Europe hearing for failing to address the most dire threat to European security — Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine. In addition, Congressman Amo highlighted Turkey’s hypocritical double standard in pushing back on Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian sovereign territory while simultaneously providing material support for Azerbaijan’s brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in Armenia.
“The scene caused by the President and Vice President at the White House last Friday was unnerving. It was, in my opinion, disgraceful. Ukrainians are dying every day to defend democracy — yet our colleagues are more concerned about President Zelensky, his wardrobe, and the flattering that he should have done of President Trump, than the existential war he’s fighting.,” said Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo. “Unlike my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I cannot stay silent while our president sides with a dictator over our allies.”
WATCH THE HEARING EXCHANGE HERE
BACKGROUND
As a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenia, Congressman Amo has supported bipartisan measures to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia security partnership. In the 118th Congress, Congressman Amo co-led the bipartisan Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288) to prevent the United States from providing security assistance to Azerbaijan for two years.
REMARKS AS DELIVERED
Thank Mr. Chairman. While I appreciate the focus on Turkey, the subcommittee on Europe should be addressing the most dire threat to European security — Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
That’s right. Russia. And again, so we align on some facts, it was Russia that invaded Ukraine and launched an unprovoked war.
It is an aggressive Russia that poses one of the greatest threats to Europe’s freedoms, stability, and democratic values.
It’s Russia who now believes the visions of our two nations are aligned.
So instead of having a hearing to address the threat posed by Vladimir Putin, this committee is looking the other way. Literally.
No one should choose to sit back and let President Trump parrot Kremlin propaganda and blow up our European relationships.
Make no mistake, the scene caused by the President and Vice President at the White House last Friday was unnerving. It was, in my opinion, disgraceful.
Ukrainians are dying every day to defend democracy — yet our colleagues were more concerned about President Zelensky, and the flattering that he should have done of President Trump, and his wardrobe, than the existential war he’s fighting.
Unlike my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I cannot stay silent while our president sides with a dictator over our allies.
Abandoning our allies, refusing to send them aid, belittling leaders in public does not make the United States stronger.
It makes us weak. And it’s clear that America First is rapidly turning into Putin First and America alone.
Instead of leading by example, our president is siding with North Korea and Iran at the United Nations. Voting to protect Russia. This is not the company we want to keep.
Now I recognize that Turkey is the subject of today’s hearing — a NATO member that has offered to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Turkey has also pushed back against false Russian claims to Ukrainian land.
But while Turkey supports sovereign territory in Ukraine, they fail to support it in their own backyard, in countries like Armenia.
In 2023, Turkey provided material support for Azerbaijan’s brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh — the ancestral home of the Armenian people.
The United States supports Armenia — we provided over $57 million in foreign assistance to Armenia last year, including humanitarian assistance for refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh. But this assistance was halted by President Trump’s illegal foreign aid freeze.
It’s yet another example of Trump abandoning an ally, all while Turkey has reportedly discussed establishing a corridor to connect with Azerbaijan, across Armenia’s sovereign territory.
