These 18 Republicans voted against Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO
Although the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution expressing support for Finland and Sweden to join NATO, 18 Republican lawmakers voted in opposition.
Monday’s vote came two months after the Nordic countries applied to join NATO in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine and three weeks after the alliance had officially invited them to join.
The resolution cleared Parliament in a vote 394-18, with only GOP legislators voting in opposition. Two Democrats and 17 Republicans did not vote.
The two-part measure supported Finland’s and Sweden’s move to join NATO and opposed all attempts by Moscow to block their membership. It also called on NATO members to fulfill a promise made in 2014 to at least spend two percent of their GDP on defense.
Representatives who voted no did not argue on the floor of the House against the bill before the vote, nor on social media immediately after the vote.
Here is a list of GOP legislators who voted “no”
- Andy Biggs, Arizona
- Dan Bishop, North Carolina
- Lauren Boebert, Colorado
- Madison Cawthorn, North Carolina
- Ben Cline, Virginia
- Michael Cloud, Texas
- Warren Davidson, Ohio
- Matt Gaetz, Florida
- Bob Good, Virginia
- Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia
- Morgan Griffith, Virginia,
- Thomas Massie, Kentucky
- Tom McClintock, California
- Mary Miller, Illinois
- Ralph Norman, South Carolina,
- Matt Rosendale, Montana
- Chip Roy, Texas
- Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey
“This historic step will add value to our alliance and strengthen our global partnership, tweeted Rope. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), “I hope to see our NATO allies quickly ratify their membership.”
Rope. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) described it as “a historic moment for transatlantic unity in the face of Russian aggression.”
Some of those who opposed the resolution had previously voted against otherwise popular measures in the House and their position drew criticism on social media
“Patriots. Putin Patriots,” Russian opposition activist and former chess champion Garry Kasparov tweeted. “What possible American value would make you vote no to expanding NATO membership to Finland and Sweden?” tweeted the author and former FBI agent Peter Strzok.
Earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned of a response from Russia to the addition of Sweden and Finland to NATO, saying that “alternatives are being developed” in the Ministry of Defense.
At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that his country could still abolish the Nordic countries’ membership offers if they do not meet Ankara’s security requirements.
He said that if the countries “do not take the necessary measures to meet our conditions, we will freeze” the accession process, the Associated Press reported.
Turkey had initially opposed the countries’ membership aspirations, which required the approval of all members of the bloc. But a joint memorandum signed last month during a NATO summit signaled that Ankara was warming up its membership offer if its security requirements were met.
Turkey has accused the Scandinavian countries of harboring extremist Kurdish groups and followers of Fethullah Gülen, the US-based preacher whose supporter Ankara says carried out a coup attempt in 2016, which he and his followers reject.
Newsweek has contacted the Swedish and Finnish Ministries of Foreign Affairs for a comment.