Although President Joe Biden was given notes to look at for his speech in Poland on Saturday night, in true Biden fashion, he decided to toss the script aside for a moment to speak with the world about Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said, “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power. “A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase a people’s love of liberty. Free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and darkness.” It wasn’t long after his words that news outlets, politicians, and even the White House started to decipher what Biden meant and if he was calling for a regime change. While the only person to really know is the President himself, the White House and key members of the Biden administration have been on damage control. 

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured American allies that America was not seeking a regime change at this time. He admitted, “I think the president, the White House made the point last night that, quite simply, President Putin cannot be empowered to wage war or engage in aggression against Ukraine or anyone else. As you know, and as you have heard us say repeatedly, we do not have a strategy of regime change in Russia — or anywhere else, for that matter. As in any case, it’s up to the people of the country in question. It’s up to the Russians.”

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It should also be noted that Biden referred to Putin as a butcher in his speech. Still the White House said, “The president’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”

Before Biden’s fiery statement, he was filmed explaining to U.S. troops stationed in Poland, “You’re going to see when you’re there, and some of you have been there, you’re gonna see — you’re gonna see women, young people standing in the middle in front of a dammed tank just saying, ‘I’m not leaving, I’m holding my ground.’” Many have wondered if Biden was referring to a future plan of sending troops into Ukraine.