Tara Reade, a former Senate aide who accused US President Joe Biden of raping her in 1993 and who fled to Russia earlier this year because she said she “didn’t feel safe” in the United States, announced during an extensive and lengthy talk on X’s (formerly Twitter) Spaces platform that she received temporary asylum in Russia.
Reade underscored during the appearance that she didn’t feel safe in the United States, explaining her decision to accept a plane ticket to Russia may have resulted in her breaking sanctions.
National Security Council official John Kirby denied that Reade’s life was in danger in May; however, Reade made clear during the Wednesday call that she didn’t believe it, saying that danger had a habit of being just around the corner anytime Kirby shot down such claims.
Reade noted that the amnesty office only asked her one question: Has she been to the US embassy in Moscow? She replied that she had not.
Already an occasional columnist for RT, Reade also announced that her contract with the outlet has been expanded, and that she is now a correspondent for the Russian outlet.
During the Q&A portion of her talk, Reade praised Russia, pointing to its thriving middle class, expansive education system and cleanliness as things that contrasted with her experience in the United States.
When asked about her feelings on US politics, Reade said she felt the presence of evil when she was attacked by Biden and called him a monster, adding “he is the world’s monster now.”
Reade said the “uniparty” is leading the world towards thermonuclear war and noted that while she did not vote in the last election, at least former President Donald Trump didn’t get the United States involved in a World War.
But as traumatizing as Biden’s attack on her was, Reade said the way she was dragged by the US media after coming forward proved nearly as traumatizing.
“I did nothing wrong. I was doing my job. [...] then when I came forward in 2019 there were seven other women, and one of them was a young lawmaker and they destroyed her. You never hear from her anymore,” Reade said, referring to former Nevada State Representative Lucy Flores who was among Biden’s accusers.
Flores accused Biden of sniffing her hair and kissing the back of her head during a campaign event he attended for her ill-fated campaign for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico. Flores described the incident as “awkward and disturbing and weird.”
Reade also said she has no interest in returning to the United States even if she were welcomed with open arms, noting that she is still too angry at the US government to consider it for the foreseeable future.
“They didn’t break me. ... I want to make sure they don’t break anyone else,” adding that if anyone needs help leaving the United States, her DMs are open.
Moscow nor the United States have commented on Reade receiving asylum.