Armed Services Republicans, White House push back against claims that Zelenskyy's PA visit was 'political'

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Karine Jean-Pierre said Zelenskyy met with Republican officials 'months ago'

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich in Thursday's briefing that accusations by House Republicans against Zelenskyy for being partisan are a 'political stunt.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to a U.S. Army ammunition plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania on Sunday has come under fire from some Republicans including Speaker Mike Johnson for being partisan.

Johnson wrote in a letter to Zelenskyy, "The tour was clearly a partisan campaign event designed to help Democrats..."

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The visit was at the request of Ukraine to thank the American workers who have helped boost ammunition production for Ukraine to defend against Russia, White House and Pentagon officials told Fox News.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a joint press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.  (Christoph Soeder, Pool Photo via AP)

Elected officials who attended the event were all Democrats, but that is because it is standard procedure to invite House and Senate members who represent the district where the visit is located.

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In this case, all elected officials happened to be Democrats due to what is called the "geographical jurisdiction," a defense official told Fox News.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in a letter to Zelenskyy, "The tour was clearly a partisan campaign event designed to help Democrats…" (Getty Images)

Zelenskyy has met exclusively with Republicans in past trips due to this same reason of who happens to be in elected office in the districts he is visiting.

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Zelenskyy visited Utah in July of this year to meet with Utah's Republican Gov. Spencer Cox and met with Utah's all-Republican Congressional delegation.

Zelenskyy visited Utah in July of this year to meet with Utah's Republican Governor Spencer Cox and met with Utah's all-Republican Congressional delegation. (Utah State Office of the Governor)

Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the Senate Armed Services Committee's top Republican said in a statement to The Associated Press, "If President Zelenskyy came to Mississippi, he would be accompanied by Republican officials because that's who the people in their wisdom elected."

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The U.S. Army helped arrange the visit, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Jacqui Heinrich in today's briefing.

Jean-Pierre elaborated: "This is something that Ukrainians asked for. They did this a couple months ago in Utah, in Utah, with a Republican governor and Republican, elected officials were there as well. We didn't hear any type of investigation request when we went to a Republican state. We didn't."