Republicans blast Biden 'diplomatic boycott' of Olympics as too meager

Republican lawmakers took aim at President Biden for his diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, arguing keeping U.S. officials from attending did not go far enough as they called for removing the games from China.

The Biden administration itself has accused the communist nation of genocide.

"While I have called for the United States and other nations to impose a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, this is the bare minimum, and President Biden should do more to hold accountable the Chinese Communist Party," Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said in a statement Monday.

Hagerty argued that the 2022 games should be moved out of China completely, citing the recent disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai.

"What President Biden should do is insist that the International Olympic Committee move the Olympics from Beijing. The United States should lead the world in protecting not only our own athletes, but all athletes from the malign behavior of the Chinese Communist Party as evidenced by the recent disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai," Hagerty said.