Putin grants Russian citizenship to ex-Biden aide who accused him of sexual assault
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Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to ex-U.S. President Joe Biden’s former aide, Tara Reade, according to a decree published on the Kremlin’s website on Sept. 22.
Reade worked as an aide in Biden’s office in the early 1990s, when he was a senator.
In 2020, during Biden’s presidential campaign, Reade accused him of harassment while they were working together. Biden denied the allegations, and no formal charges were ever filed against him.
Reade moved to Russia in 2023, citing security concerns in the U.S., and sought Russian citizenship.
In Russia, Reade engaged with Kremlin-controlled propaganda media. During one such appearance, she apologized for what she called America’s "aggressive stance" toward Russia and for the support Washington had provided to Kyiv under Biden's administration.
Under standard procedures, a person seeking Russian citizenship is required to have legally resided in the country for a minimum of five years.
Amid the full-scale war against Ukraine, Putin allowed foreigners and stateless persons to apply for temporary residence in Russia on "moral grounds." He also simplified the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for foreigners who sign a military service contract with the Russian Armed Forces or "separate military units."
