Psaki Smacks Down Lindsey Graham’s Whack Putin Plan: ‘No, We Are Not Advocating For Killing The Leader Of A Foreign Country’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki repeatedly smacked down Republican Senator Lindsey Graham’s suggestion that someone should assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On Thursday night, Graham told Sean Hannity that the only way to stop Putin is for someone in Russia to assassinate him.

“Somebody in Russia has to step up to the plate. Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there more successful Col. Stauffenberg in the Russian military? The only way this ends, my friend, is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country a great service and the world a great service,” Graham said.

At a White House press briefing Friday afternoon, Psaki was asked about the comments several times, first telling reporters that “That is not the position of the United States government, and certainly not a statement you’d hear from come from the mouth of anybody working in this administration.”

CBS News Radio White House correspondent Steve Portnoy followed up several minutes later, and Psaki put a finer point on it:

MR. PORTNOY: Understanding it’s a position of the US government. But Lindsey Graham said last night, what Lindsey Graham did suggest is that there’s no peaceful resolution here while Vladimir Putin is still in power and Russia, does the president share that view?

MS. PSAKI: The president believes there continues to be a diplomatic path forward. That is the path forward that will help resolve what we’re seeing on the ground. President Putin has the ability to de-escalate. We have left the door open for months now to be engaged through de-escalation, if de-escalation occurs.

Obviously, humanitarian corridors, a cease-fire, those would all be steps that would be welcomed. But no, we are not advocating for killing the leader of a foreign country or regime change. That is not the policy of the United States.

Graham has since revised his suggestion down to some light jailing.

Watch above via C-Span.