On Saturday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R- LA) voiced his support for a $95 billion aid bill which will support Ukrainian war efforts against Russia. The decision, which was vehemently opposed by Johnson’s fellow Republican representatives, sparked significant backlash, reports The New York Times.
Speaker Johnson was not always supportive of funding Kyiv’s military efforts. Rather, considered a hard-line Republican, he promised he would not allow the matter to be voted on on the House floor soon into his term as speaker.
However, many factors, including the influences of intelligence briefings and personal stories, contributed to Johnson’s decision to ultimately align his support with that of the House’s Democrats.
During the White House’s intelligence briefings, much classified information was revealed to high-ranking officials pertaining to the current state of the Ukrainian military, especially surrounding the country’s quickly diminishing ammunition and other critical resources. The Speaker even encouraged other House Republicans to review the material in the Capitol in an attempt to compel them to support the aid package, demonstrating Johnson’s utmost trust in the information.
“I really do believe the intel,” Johnson said about the information he received at these briefings. “I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Baltics next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies.”
Johnson was also persuaded to support the bill due to certain personal considerations. After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky multiple times and discussing the graphic reality of the chaos, misery and desperation rampant in the country, Johnson said he was moved in relation to his Christian faith.
“History judges us for what we do,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol last week. “This is a critical time right now. I could make a selfish decision and do something that’s different. But I’m doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing lethal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important.”
However, not all members of the House considered these factors in the same way. Specifically, other Republicans in the House hurled criticism at the Speaker for his opinion. For example, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is spearheading plans to oust Johnson from his speakership, believes that this decision could push more Republicans to support ejecting him from his role.
“This is the third betrayal by Mike Johnson,” she said on Saturday, referencing other government-funding legislation he had supported against Republican support.
Despite such denunciation by members of his own party, Johnson will continue to push for the bill. The funds will aid Ukraine as war with Russia continues.
