Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told President Trump on Monday to pressure Russia with the same intensity he has used against Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
“Maybe just treat them like you’re treating Washington, D.C., or how you treated Greenland when you came into office, or how you treated Canada when you came into office,” Moskowitz said in an interview on “Morning Joe.”
“Like, where is that President Trump with the Russians? It seems like he’s tougher on these other things. And he’s tougher on Chicago than he is dealing with Putin. So maybe just take that attitude,” he added.
Since the start of his second term, Trump and his administration have been pushing for an end to the war in Ukraine, at times threatening sanctions on Russia, but so far taking no punitive action toward Moscow.
Earlier this month, Trump rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, then met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington a few days later.
At the same time, Trump was deploying federal law enforcement agents and National Guard troops throughout Washington in what he claims is an effort to curb crime in the capital.
The White House said Monday more than 1,000 arrests have taken place since federal agents were deployed two weeks ago.
Trump on Monday also signed a series of executive orders targeting D.C., including efforts to end cashless bail, increase penalties for desecrating the American flag and establish “specialized units” in the National Guard equipped to deal with public order issues.
Trump announced Aug. 11 he would take federal control of the D.C. police department and deploy the National Guard. He has repeatedly suggested other Democrat-run cities would be next, and he said Friday that Chicago would be next.
On Monday, Trump seemed to back away from this threat, saying it would be better to be asked for federal assistance from state and local officials.
“I was telling some of the people that in a certain way you really want to be asked to go. I hate to barge in on a city and then be treated horribly by corrupt politicians and bad politicians,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
