JAW-DROPPING: NBC’s Lester Holt Literally Asks President Biden if Putin Now Has ‘No Choice’ But to Invade

NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt asked President Joe Biden about Russia’s military buildup around Ukraine, but he did so in a way that would make your jaw drop.

Biden sat for an exclusive interview with Holt on Thursday, which will air on Super Bowl Sunday. Some of that interview has been released ahead of time, covering a range of topics that included the roiling standoff with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But in a stunning bit of mental gymnastics, Holt framed the situation as one in which Putin has “no choice but to invade.”

President Biden didn’t bat an eye, and told Holt that Putin should know better than to invade:

HOLT: Given the size of this build-up, has the inertia reached a point where it’s inevitable, that they have no choice but to invade?

Well, look, I’ve spoken with Putin, I’ve spoken with every NATO leader. I’ve brought them together like I think they’ve never been, as — coordinating, in modern history, NATO leaders about what to do if Putin moves.

The question is, he knows… He has to know that if he does, the entire circumstance for Russia changes worldwide, changes overnight. The cost to Russia, both in terms of reputational cost and economic costs, would be profound.

Elsewhere in the interview, Holt asked Biden if he’s told Putin that it would be bad to harm American citizens in Ukraine:

HOLT: What are your plans toward American citizens who are in Ukraine and might be there during an invasion? What scenarios would you put American troops to rescue and get Americans out?

BIDEN: There’s not, that’s a world war when Americans and Russians start shooting at one another we are in a very different world than we’ve ever been in.

HOLT: Not even on behalf of simply evacuating Americans?

BIDEN: No. How do you do that? How do you even find them? This is not like, I’m hoping that if in fact he’s foolish enough to go in, he’s smart enough not to in fact, do anything that would negatively impact on American citizens—

HOLT: Have you told him that?

BIDEN: Yes.

HOLT: You’ve told him that Americans would be a line that they can’t cross?

BIDEN: I didn’t have to tell him that, I’ve spoken about that. He knows that and, you know, it’s a little bit. Look, that’s what I’ve asked is, American citizens should leave, should leave now. We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation and things could go crazy, quickly.

In recent days, the administration has taken criticism for heavy-handed responses that suggested reporters were susceptible to enemy propaganda.

But Holt’s question is just the latest example of a mainstream media outlet framing the Ukraine situation in terms that could be interpreted as sounding sympathetic to Putin. Last week, a Reuters reporter literally asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki if Biden can “sympathize” with Putin.

Watch above via NBC News.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.