President Biden is "worried" about interruptions to the constant flow of U.S. tax money into Ukraine after the sudden ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) sent Congress into limbo.
"It does worry me,” Biden said Wednesday. “But I know there are a majority of members of the House and Senate of both parties who have said that they support funding Ukraine.”
During his brief time as Speaker, McCarthy faced pressure from his right to limit support for Ukraine - and after months of complaints that he was not doing enough to control government spending, he was sacked in a vote triggered by Matt Gaetz (Fl.).
Politicians in Ukraine have confessed they were in a state of alarm this week watching the drama unfold in Washington.
It's heartening to know that Biden is at least listening to his real constituents, thousands of miles away.
Biden said he would look at ways to keep sending money to Ukraine without congressional approval, but he did not elaborate. He said he plans to give a speech soon making the case for continuing to support Ukraine indefinitely.
“I’m going to be announcing very shortly a major speech I’m going to make on this issue, and why it’s critically important for the United States and our allies that we keep our commitment,” Biden said.
Days before his ouster, McCarthy had reached a short-term deal to avoid a government shutdown that did not include additional funding for Ukraine.
Biden has already sent over $100 billion to Ukraine and counting.
His obsession with supporting Ukraine, no matter the cost or risk of escalation, is shared by most politicians in both parties in Washington, but a small group of populist Republicans have called for funding to be cut, slamming the bi-partisan focus on Ukraine as a betrayal as the southern border is overrun.
Republicans appear to have rallied behind Jim Jordan (Oh.) as McCarthy's successor. He has suggested he would be less solicitous of Ukraine than Biden would like.
"The most pressing issue on Americans’ minds is not Ukraine,” Jordan said this week. “It’s the border situation, and it’s crime on the streets."
If only Biden cared this much about America's own borders. Wouldn't that be something?
