The Department of Defense remains committed to helping Ukraine defend itself even as some House Republicans are looking ahead to next month’s elections as an opportunity to stop the flow of aid.
The subject of whether a Republican-controlled Congress would continue to assist Ukraine was brought to the forefront of Capitol Hill earlier this week when House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy told Punchbowl News that if that were to happen following November’s elections, they would not provide Ukraine with a “blank check.”
A Department of Defense official declined to comment on whether there is concern within the agency about such a scenario playing out, while the prevailing belief among experts is that the Republicans will win back at least one chamber of congress.
‘POWER’ PLAY FOR MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE: BEWARE THE BASE, KEVIN MCCARTHY
“It would be inappropriate for us to speculate on the outcome of the midterms or hypothetical situations,” Lt. Col. Garron Garn, the DOD official, told the Washington Examiner on Thursday. “In the meantime, the U.S. and DOD stand united with allies and partners from nearly 50 countries to continue support to Ukraine with the means to deter and defend itself against Russian aggression.”
McCarthy, in a subsequent interview on CNBC, said he was surprised that his original comments made headlines.
“It’s amazing to me that that somehow made news,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. “Wouldn’t you want a check and balance in Congress? Wouldn’t you want these hardworking taxpayers’ money, someone overseeing it? We’ve got to eliminate wasteful spending in Washington.”
He noted that Ukraine “is very important,” and that he supports “making sure that we move forward to defeat Russia in that program.” But he also added, “There should be no blank check on anything. We are $31 trillion in debt.”
GOP Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), who has ambitions to be the next House majority whip if Republicans take back the chamber, agreed with McCarthy’s comments.
“Leader McCarthy is absolutely right that Democrats’ policy of writing blank checks to Ukraine is unsustainable and indefensible,” he told the Washington Examiner in a statement. “Next Congress we need to prioritize reducing inflation, crime, and securing our own border first. America can’t effectively lead abroad when we are so weak at home.”
What’s unclear is whether McCarthy, Banks, and many House Republicans want to cease all aid to Ukraine or just decrease it, and if it is the latter, to what extent.
Banks was one of 57 House Republicans that voted against a $40 billion aid package to Ukraine and that number could rise, especially if the GOP recaptures the majority. Last month, Congress passed another $12 billion provision.
There are some conservative groups who have already called on party leaders to stop backing aid to Ukraine as well.
Congress has allocated a total of $65 billion in funding to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion last February, while Democrats could look to pass another large aid package before the next Congress is sworn in. NBC News is reporting that the new aid package could be in the range of $50 billion, citing congressional aides and a Ukrainian government source.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The White House also seemingly downplayed the possible scenario of a Republican-controlled congress hampering the administration’s efforts to help Ukraine.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday that the previous aid legislation had been approved in a bipartisan fashion and that they “don’t want to get ahead of what Congress might look like next year. I don’t want to go into hypotheticals. But again, we’re going to continue to engage with Congress on this.”
