House Speaker Mike Johnson knows he has to pass additional Ukraine aid, but Donald Trump’s “reign of death” over the Republican Party means doing so will force him out of office. “I’m concerned,” President Biden said in a televised interview. Tuesday evening.
Biden, 81, told Univision News: “I hope the Speaker of the House will take action and be courageous. I am confident that he will do whatever he has to do. I know what’s going to happen.” “But I think he’s worried about losing the speakership because of a weird Republican House.”
“Look, as the old saying goes, this is not your father’s Republican Party,” the president continued. “This is a different kind of cat. This is…Trump running that party. He’s keeping it in a kind of death grip.”
Biden also argued that Congress must approve additional aid for the fight in Kiev and Moscow because “we have run out of airstrip” to provide further aid through presidential action.
“If there was a vote tomorrow, and the new speaker of the House had the courage to call a vote on Ukraine, it would pass overwhelmingly, with a majority of Republicans in both chambers voting yes,” he said. Stated. He said.
In February, the Senate approved a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill to support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. But Johnson warned the House of Commons would not bring the bill to a vote after President Trump urged opposition.
“We should never give money without expecting anything in return or with no strings attached. America can no longer be “stupid”! ” Trump posted on Truth Social at the time.
Prime Minister Johnson has indicated he may revisit the issue this week as the House returns from its Easter recess, but he has said that if the funding goes ahead, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) has threatened to hold a vote to remove him.
“I’m not saying I have red lines or triggers, and I’m not saying I don’t have red lines or triggers,” Green said. told CNN last week. “But I’ll tell you right now, giving money to Ukraine is probably one of the most egregious things he could do.”
On Tuesday, Georgia lawmakers sent a letter to their fellow Republicans renewing their efforts to form an anti-Johnson coalition.
“Mike Johnson, who opposed funding to Ukraine less than seven months ago, has now publicly stated that funding to Ukraine is his top priority,” Green said in the letter. ” “The American people disagree. We believe our borders are the only borders worth fighting for. I agree with them.”
(R-Ga.) before U.S. President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. Reuters
Mr Johnson, who took over as chairman in October, previously told the Post that he had stalled aid to Ukraine because he wanted to give the federal government money until September 30 first, and answered “key questions” about the response. He blamed the Biden administration for not doing so. to a conflict.
“This process has dragged on, not because of the House of Commons, but because, in my view, the White House has been unwilling or unable to provide the answers needed to get things done quickly,” Johnson said at the time. ” he said.
He also said that despite his support for Ukraine, he wanted the additional aid to be combined with U.S.-Mexico border funding.
“No one wants President Vladimir Putin to win. I don’t think he will stay in Ukraine. If allowed, he will travel all the way through Europe,” Johnson wrote in a post last month. told the paper.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy implored Republicans in Congress to pass funding as Ukraine’s war with Russia continues.
Without additional aid from Congress, Ukraine will “lose the war,” Zelenskiy warned in an interview Sunday.
Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to the Post’s inquiry about Biden’s comments.
