LOS ANGELES.–Threatening to oust 52-year-old House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), 49-year-old Rep. Margorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) refuses to give in on getting border security into a $95 billion spending bill, $60 billion goes to more Ukraine War funding. Greene and other House conservatives are adamant about not wasting more cash on Ukraine when 46-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky has not delivered on any of his promises to drive Russia from Ukraine, instead watches more of his country’s infrastructure destroyed, putting his Kiev government in bankruptcy, were it not for U.S. aid. President Joe Biden, 81, and Zelensky have sold Congress and the European Union [EU] on the idea that if they don’t defeat 77-year-old President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, he will continue his march to take over more European countries, including Poland and the Baltic States.
Biden and Zelensky have sold the American public a bill of goods, offering not the slightest guarantees that spending another $60 billion in U.S. taxpayer cash would have any effect on the war, other than furthering Ukraine’s destruction and bankruptcy. Biden and Zelensky never mention that much of the nearly $200 billion in U.S. cash goes to paying Kiev’s salaries and pensions, to Zelensky, his government and civil servants. Most American don’t know that American taxpayers essentially pay for Kiev’s bankrupt government, all because Zelensky insists on war with the Kremlin. Biden’s decision to fund proxy war against the Kremlin upended generations of diplomacy, détente and arms control with Moscow, all on a fake narrative that Putin wants to reinstate the old Soviet Union and start taking over former Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe.
Greene wants Johnson to hold off on Biden’s months-long demand for $60 billion more for Kiev’s expenses and war funding. Zelensky claims he’s lost ground to Russia because he’s run out of missiles and artillery rounds, especially Patriot missiles to protect Ukraine’s cities from Russia’s aerial bombardment. “Mike Johns is not working for Republicans, he’s not helping Republicans, he’s not even listening to Republicans. Mike Johnson is doing the Deep State’s dirty work,” Greene said on X. “We need a new Speaker of the House,” serving notice that she and other Freedom Caucus Republicans want Johnson to stand up to Democrats and stop more Ukraine funding. Johnson said he respects Greene’s issues with the Ukraine War but has been pressured by House Democrats and the White House to pass the $95 billion spending bill that includes $15 billion for Israel.
How ironic that many House Democrats, led by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the only Palestinian in Congress, equally opposes the bill because she wants no funding for Israel. Caught in an existential war with Hamas, many House Democrats back Palestinians currently under siege by Israel in Gaza. Biden tried to meet with Muslim leaders for Iftar, the traditional break of fasting for Ramadan. Many House Democrats oppose funding Israel for its war in Gaza, believing that Israel engages in genocide against Palestinians. Biden finds himself in a vise with pro-Palestinians in Congress opposed to any funding going to Israel. “I respect Margorie . . . We do have honest differences on strategy sometimes but share the same conservative beliefs,” Johnson said in statement. Johnson knows that 77-year-old GOP nominee Donald Trump opposes more Ukraine spending.
Trump’s opposition to Ukraine War spending stems from the fact that the U.S. should not subsidize Ukraine or fund proxy war against the Kremlin. Trump believes that Zelensky has not produced any results, in fact, has only made a bad situation worse in Ukraine. Trump wants to push the Ukraine conflict to the peace table where it can be resolved with a political solution. Biden and Zelensky have been told by their key generals that there’s no military solution in Ukraine, only a political one. Yet Zelensky keeps blowing smoke of ridding Russia from Ukrainian territory. There’s zero evidence, in the battlefield or elsewhere, that shows that Ukraine can oust Russia from Ukrainian territory. Trump, and House conservatives, want the Ukraine War situation resolved to return to normal diplomacy with the Russian Federation, something hampering U.S. national security.
When Congress returns next week from Easter recess, Johnson will be under enormous pressure to bring the $95 billion spending bill to the House floor for a vote. With Democrats and some Republicans supporting the bill, it’s expected to pass easily. But Johnson could easily lose his job over capitulating to House Democrats to push for Ukraine’s $60 billion. “I haven’t heard anyone verbalize support for that action,” said House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.). “I think Greene is operating in isolation,” meaning that Johnson’s job is safe. Good did admit that things could change quickly if she brings the $95 billion bill to the floor. “Ukraine is a lightening rod . . . to speakership of Mike Johnson,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), knowing opposition from House conservatives. Johnson could delay bringing the bill to the floor until he has a deal on border security.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
