Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich discusses the geopolitical implications of President Biden's decision not to seek re-election, highlighting the recent military incident involving Russian and Chinese aircraft near Alaska as a sign of heightened tensions.
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich has raised concerns about the geopolitical implications of President Biden's decision not to seek re-election, pointing to a recent military incident involving Russian and Chinese aircraft near Alaska as a harbinger of potential escalations from foreign adversaries.
In an interview with Fox News, Gingrich discussed the incident, which occurred less than an hour before Biden's address to the nation on Wednesday night. Russian fighter jets and two Chinese H-6 bombers skirted the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), prompting the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to scramble jets and intercept the foreign aircraft.
Biden's Withdrawal from Presidential Race Sparks Hostile Military Maneuvers from Russia and China
Gingrich argued that the joint patrol by Russian and Chinese warplanes was a direct response to Biden's announcement that he would not be running for a second term. "While there hasn't been an official verbal reaction from the Kremlin, the joint patrol... was almost certainly a reaction by Moscow and Beijing to President Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race," said Gingrich.
Gingrich emphasized that Russia and China may exploit what they perceive as a "vulnerable period for America" in the lead-up to the November elections. "Putin and Xi are likely strategic messaging to Washington that Russia and China that they will escalate their geopolitical confrontation with the United States during what they perceive as a vulnerable period for America," he said.
Biden's Withdrawal from Presidential Race Sparks Hostile Military Maneuvers from Russia and China
According to Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst, the recent military incident serves as a warning shot from Russia and China. "Russia and China will almost certainly take advantage of the tenuous situation in the White House," Koffler told Fox News Digital. "I expect provocations the closer we get to November."
Former President Trump also weighed in on the incident, criticizing Biden's speech and suggesting that it would embolden foreign adversaries. "It was terrible, it was a terrible speech. Terrible delivery, he was having problems, and yet you watch the other networks, and you'd think he was Ronald Reagan in his prime, he was Winston Churchill in his prime, and he wasn't," Trump said in an interview with "FOX & Friends."
Biden's Withdrawal from Presidential Race Sparks Hostile Military Maneuvers from Russia and China
Trump expressed concern that Biden's speech and the protests during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday would be interpreted as signs of weakness by global rivals. "All over the world, Putin and President Xi of China, all over the world, they're watching this," Trump claimed. "Kim Jong Un, he looks at us like we're a bunch of babies."
Gingrich concurred with Trump's assessment, arguing that the incidents could have significant geopolitical consequences. "They see that that wouldn't happen in their countries. It's impossible for that to happen in their country… we look so bad to the world," Gingrich said.
Biden's Withdrawal from Presidential Race Sparks Hostile Military Maneuvers from Russia and China
The Biden administration has yet to provide an official response to the military incident. However, the episode underscores the heightened geopolitical tensions that have emerged following Biden's decision to withdraw from the presidential race.
