House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is standing firm against the demands of lame-duck President Joe Biden. He rejected the outgoing administration's plea for additional funding for Ukraine. Johnson made it clear that he would not be taking orders from Biden but would instead wait for direction from the new commander-in-chief, President-elect Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, Johnson announced that he would not bring to the floor a request for $24 billion in aid to Ukraine. This followed reports that Biden was urgently pushing Congress to approve more assistance to Kyiv before his term ends. Johnson's move underscores his commitment to reevaluating foreign aid priorities under new leadership, which aligns with the views of Trump and many conservatives who question the growing U.S. involvement in Ukraine's war with Russia.
BREAKING: Speaker Johnson rejects Biden's request for additional Ukraine funding, saying he will wait for direction from the new Commander-in-Chief.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 4, 2024
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Johnson declared that Trump's election victory had shifted the dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine war. He said it is no longer Biden's privilege to decide on U.S. funding for the conflict. He told reporters that no additional Ukraine funding should be expected until Trump assumes office and evaluates the situation. He emphasized that the new leadership would consider a more strategic approach to the war.
This comes after the lame-duck administration announced a $725 million military package on Monday that includes air defense capabilities, munitions for rocket systems, and artillery for Ukraine.
Since the war began in 2022, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with over $75 billion in military assistance, including various weapons, ammunition, training, intelligence support, and other military equipment such as air defense systems and tanks. The Biden-Harris Administration has also given the embattled country at least $20 billion in direct economic aid to help stabilize the foreign country’s economy.
Biden recently called on Congress to provide $8 billion in several new aid packages to Ukraine to fund the war until 2026. He tried to peddle as much aid and funding to foreign countries as possible before Trump took office on January 20. The outgoing president’s request also included $16 billion for the Department of Defense to replenish stockpiles for foreign nations and to fund repairs for military equipment in DOD inventories.
However, Republican lawmakers have pushed back against funding the endless war that is on the path to depleting the United States’ resources. Instead, they argue that the U.S. should focus on securing its own borders and addressing issues such as inflation and domestic infrastructure.