Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson is proving that he won’t be a pushover for the soon-to-be former Commander-in-Chief, Joe Biden. In a firm and unapologetic stance, Johnson has sent Biden’s pleas for an additional $24 billion in aid to Ukraine packing, making it abundantly clear that his marching orders will come from President-elect Donald Trump, not a lame-duck president frantically trying to squeeze more cash out of Congress before the curtains close on his administration.
On Wednesday, Johnson publicly rejected the request for Ukraine funding that the Biden administration was pushing through Congress at breakneck speed. This move is not just a slip of the hand; it signifies a crucial shift in the GOP’s approach to foreign aid, especially as eager eyes turn to Trump’s upcoming presidency. This transition has many conservatives silently cheering—Johnson’s rejection resonates with a growing contingent that questions the ever-increasing U.S. financial involvement in a foreign war that seems as far from home as one can get.
Speaker Johnson rejects Biden’s request for additional money for Ukraine; says we have a new Commander-in-chief and he’s going to wait to take his direction on that. pic.twitter.com/UpBYBhdEHp
— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) December 4, 2024
Johnson made waves when he suggested that the current funding landscape is about to change dramatically. He indicated that Biden’s days of dictating U.S. funding for Ukraine’s military efforts are numbered. Until Trump takes the reins, the House Speaker seems determined to hit the pause button on any new aid packages. One can only imagine the look on Biden’s face as he realizes that not even his administration’s last-minute funding requests can bypass the new paradigm brought in by Trump’s imminent arrival.
In the midst of this funding showdown, the Biden administration recently announced another hefty military package for Ukraine totaling $725 million. This will be used to provide air defense capabilities and munitions, while U.S. taxpayers find themselves discussing the validity of doing so for a nation almost 6,000 miles away. Since the inception of the conflict in 2022, the U.S. has already funneled over $75 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, not to mention the staggering $20 billion handed over to stabilize its economy—all of which has prompted conservatives to raise their eyebrows and ask just how much is too much.
Biden’s latest desperation call for Congress to muster up yet another $8 billion in aid smacks of a last-ditch effort to secure funds before turning over the keys to Trump, who has made it clear that he favors a more insulated approach to America’s foreign affairs. Republican lawmakers have been pushing back against the cyclical funding of a war that many see as draining the resources needed to address pressing domestic issues, such as soaring inflation and border security. Instead of flowing endless money to foreign conflicts, conservatives rally around the idea that America ought to take care of its own first—a principle that echoes through the halls of Congress more loudly than ever as the Biden administration limps towards its finish line.
