Lamenting the invasion of Ukraine and President Joe Biden's using it as a scapegoat for his administration's war on fossil fuels and resulting inflation, West Virginia GOP Gov. Jim Justice told Newsmax that the U.S. is being made to look like a "bunch of silly puppets" to Vladimir Putin.
"I really truly believe that we've got to quit playing around, and be strong, and be Americans, and stand up for what we know is right, and what we know is wrong," Justice told Monday's "The Chris Salcedo Show" when asked about the debate over a NATO-led no-fly zone in Ukraine.
"Absolutely, without any question, I really believe the only way you stop a bully is you ask him to stop. And if he doesn't stop, you drill his ass, and that's what I do."
Putin is not only playing the world for fools in Ukraine, Justice noted to guest host Rob Schmitt, but Biden is attempting to use Putin's "war of choice" invasion of Ukraine to explain away inflation during his presidency.
"This country is being subjected to embarrassment beyond belief," Justice continued. "We're afraid and we're conditioned to be afraid, and we're lied to, by saying and taking that we're just not smart.
"And we're going to believe that this inflation or gas prices falls upon President Putin and the Russians?"
The invasion and inflation – while being exploited by Putin's imperialistic goals – ultimately fall on Biden and his administration, Justice concluded.
"I mean, for crying out loud, every single thing is happening in this country right now we can absolutely put right at the feet of President Biden and our Vice President Kamala Harris," he said. "I mean, it is preposterous beyond belief."
Note: See Newsmax TV now carried in more than 100 million U.S. homes, on DirecTV Ch. 349, Dish Network Ch. 216, Xfinity Ch. 1115, Spectrum, U-verse Ch. 1220, FiOS Ch. 615, Frontier Ch. 115, Optimum Ch. 102, Cox cable, Suddenlink Ch. 102, Mediacom Ch. 277, AT&T TV Ch 349, FUBO and major OTT platforms like Roku, YouTube, Xumo, Pluto and most smart TV's including Samsung+, Sony, LG, Vizio and more – Find All Systems that Carry Newsmax – Click Here
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.