Biden’s trip to Ukraine made him a hero in the eyes of his party members as well as the media. Breathless headlines, cable news hits, and remarkable coverage declared it “courageous” as well as “historic.” But this was not the case for the reasons that were clearly articulated.
The sounding of sirens at the start of the air raid sirens was part of the narrative of heroism that Biden and Volydymr Zelensky took on the streets of Kyiv. This was a moment that showed that the president was prepared to face the Russian threat and was confident. He didn’t hesitate in the face of possible bombardment.
Or was it? Dan Bongino was a former member of the US Secret Service and appeared on Fox News recently. He shared the same skeptical views as I did.
Former @SecretService agents Jeff James & @dbongino: Secret Service would have evacuated Biden if the Kiev air raid siren were real pic.twitter.com/TYIOCqSoPp
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 26, 2023
Here’s a brief overview of what I said on the subject on the day of my trip.
The Secret Service does not allow the president to walk out in the open during actual air raids. These sirens were clearly activated in response to no threat in the vicinity in order for Biden to appear tough and brave. It is disappointing that Zelensky would take part in such an act, effectively interfering with US politics. It’s not Biden’s money that he is receiving all the money. It comes from the US Congress via taxpayers, who are often left out of all the pomp and circumstance.
Bongino, a conservative commentator at best, has firsthand knowledge of the way the secret service handles such situations. So, I tend not to doubt his words. He seems to be expressing common sense. The secret service will respond to any threat to President Obama’s life. They will not just watch as Biden wanders the streets of Kyiv, taking pictures and mumbling about.
Fair enough, it was claimed that two MiG-31 fighters flew into Belarus after the air raid confusion started. This triggered the sirens. Let’s suppose that this is true. It is obvious that there was no threat to the US, or Biden would have been taken away. Bongino points out that there is no protocol allowing a US president to walk around when there is a threat of bombardment.
These protocols are also non-negotiable. The president is protected by the secret service, even if it means that he has to be removed from a situation he does not want. It’s probable that Russia was informed of the Biden administration’s trip before it took off. This means that any attempt to take off in Belarus would have been discussed immediately and decided not to pose a threat.
Regardless of whether the siren for an air raid was real, it is clear that the left-wing narrative that Biden did something extraordinarily brave is completely fake. After telling the Russians that he would not make any mistakes, he rode a train to a city that everyone had been visiting for the past year. Heck, Mitch McConnell, and other Republicans were there before the war in the east turned into a deadlock.
Here’s Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury, in Kyiv following Biden’s strange trip.
Why is Janet Yellen in Ukraine???
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 27, 2023
This whole thing is absurd. While there is a war in Ukraine, it is also evident that Kyiv remains relatively secure, especially when Russia tells the US, officials, they are there. The threat of a war in Ukraine is not a concern when dozens upon dozens of Americans show up to shake hands. The press portrayed Biden as a man who could face imminent danger. This was a photo-op for domestic consumption.
