Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs pushed back on accusations that he was “pro-Putin” after a portion of a series of Sunday tweets were amplified, leading some to believe that he supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Unfortunately what has happened on the Left with the Russiagate investigation – which was a hoax – is that when Republicans say something that involves Putin they get tied to him by the Left,” Jacobs told The Tennessee Star. “Putin and brutal dictators like him look for weakness. In order to deal with people like him you need to project strength.”
“I do not support Putin,” the Knox County mayor said. “I’m for liberty and freedom. Putin is the antithesis of that.”
In the weekend tweets, Jacobs told Antifa to go fight Putin in Ukraine, called Putin a fascist and the Left weak and naive, and torched cancel culture. Many on the Left on Twitter took umbrage with the retired athlete’s remarks, including some in the pro wrestling industry, saying that he was pro-Putin or was implying that acting like Putin is appropriate.
“With this woke culture we are in, our country projects weakness.” Jacobs said. “I think when people in the woke crowd get called out, they latch onto a straw man, and they create something they can argue against.”
Jacobs went on to blast Putin again, and pointed out the help from private industry for the people of Ukraine, like Elon Musk. Jacobs noted that while Senator Elizabeth Warren takes shots at Musk, he’s doing more to help people in Ukraine than she is. “Look at what Elon Musk has done with Starlink,” he said.
Although Jacobs opposes military intervention in Ukraine, he believes there are other ways to help the people there. “My contention is the U.S. should not get involved militarily in this. I am against any sort of any direct military action in this case. That doesn’t mean you don’t find other ways to help them.”
But Jacobs says he is a realist when it comes to dictators like Putin. “My point is that people like Putin exist, and often in this world, unfortunately they are successful because might has historically made right. People like Putin must be confronted with strength.” said the mayor. “Putin is a very bad guy. He is another authoritarian and I despise authoritarians.”
As for combatting Putin’s Ukrainian aspirations, Jacobs told The Star that the U.S. should focus on taking away Putin’s leverage on international energy markets, but to do so in a way that limits the impact on the Russian people, who he says have nothing to do with his aggression.
“The very first thing you do is allow American energy production again. Our energy policy is making Putin rich and we’ve given him all the leverage on energy.” said Mayor Jacobs; adding, “If you sanction anyone, you sanction the Russian oligarchs. Any sanctions should be directed at taking away Putin’s leverage, not hurting the people.”
Jacobs has nothing but praise for the people of Ukraine who are fighting against Putin’s aggression. “The Ukrainian people are brave and are defending their country, their homes. Hopefully the Russians will realize that the Ukrainians are making them pay a heavy price.”
Mayor Jacobs tweeted at 7:55 a.m. on Sunday:
If Antifa wants to fight the real fascists, they should go to Kyiv and help the Ukrainians in their battle against one.
If Antifa wants to fight the real fascists, they should go to Kyiv and help the Ukrainians in their battle against one. pic.twitter.com/pnruwLCUSY
— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) February 27, 2022
Jacobs followed that tweet immediate up with:
Or they could head to Moscow and protest with the brave anti-war Russians being brutalized by Putin’s jackbooted thugs.
In a later tweet posted at 11:35 a.m. on Sunday, February 27, the mayor blasted the naivete of the Left on the issue of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
If you are on the Left and are shocked by Putin’s aggression, wake up, Sunshine. Historically in the real world, might makes right. Weakness (which is really what the Left is all about) is not a virtue. It’s a fatal character flaw. (And, no, the U.S. should still not get involved).
He followed that tweet up with another, blasting cancel culture and the radical Left.
I highly doubt Putin cares a whit about toxic masculinity, the Cancel Culture Mutawa, or any of the other things the radical Left stands for.
I highly doubt Putin cares a whit about toxic masculinity, the Cancel Culture Mutawa, or any of the other things the radical Left stands for.
— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) February 27, 2022
Mayor Jacobs was elected to the position of Knox County mayor in 2018. Performing under the name Kane, he is a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR.
Glenn Jacobs should go to Ukraine himself if he is eager to risk American lives in a war with Putin. It has been my sad experience that the men and women who yell the loudest for military intervention there are not the ones who will lay their lives on the line.
A typical leftist/Marxist response: If you can’t think of a good argument against what someone on the right has said, just make up something absurd, claim they said it, and argue against the straw man you’ve created..
Glenn Jaobs specifically said he was opposed to America getting involved militarily in Ukraine, so your post is either an example of abject stupidity or a deliberate lie.
That said, while it’s entirely appropriate for a private citizen, or even a local or State elected official, to express opposition to military intervention,, that is something that a President (or anyone else in a position to influence American foreign policy) must NEVER do. When dealing with dictators and bullies like Putin, you should never ever take any options off the table. The surest way to get yourself into a war is to announce to the world that you will do anything necessary to avoid military confrontation,, which is precisely what Biden has done. There are only two possibiliities: either Biden is too dumb to have learned anything from the history of the last 100 years or he is deliberately trying to tempt Putin into attacking us (presumably because that would help with his objective of turning the United States into a socialist dictatorship). Either way,, his weakness and bad policies are what created this situation, and, if this continues, it’s very likely they will get us into a war.
It’s no secret the Russians have infiltrated social media and have polluted an already toxic toilet bowl with their propaganda. With the fact that social media censors what you can see and share, they no longer fall under the protection of the 1st Amendment.
This is the one rare occasion where I support the government rolling in, taking control of these platforms and dissolving them. I only say this because the people of this country are too stupid to realize what’s going on and stop using these platforms all together.
You moron, what do you think the rest of the world is doing to Russia right now?
I believe the USA is more Fascist now than Russia. See the mask and so called Vaccine Mandates. Just sayin’ publix schrools are turrible deez days.
Leftist Commie Democrats and the media lies have about ruined the country. Everything the democrats do is for power, money ,control and not for the American people. Woke( what BS), transsexuals, Antifa, BLM , LGBTQ and their ultimate control Covid and now “Let’s go Brandon” has cured Covid, thats amazing no mask just before the state of the Union speech.. All leftist democrat BS.
Yes, in one day they went from wearing face diapers everywhere in the capitol, to totally maskless, shaking hands, hugging, etc. Did you you see how many people Biden was talking to face to face? And I mean like less than 12″ apart! Sheesh, you’d think they would still have the smarts to keep a bit of distance between each other. I mean, it is still cold and flu season. Looks like a super spreader event to me!
as usual leftists lie, and glenn is right