If Sec. of State Blinken warned that if Speaker Kevin McCarthy removes Ukraine aid from the government spending bill, he will be acting against the national interest.
Blinken said when asked about McCarthy removing Ukraine aid, “I think it’s very clear to us and to many in Congress that this additional assistance is something that Ukraine needs in this moment to continue to carry out the counteroffensive, to regain its territory, as well as to strengthen its defense, its military going forward. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart and necessary thing to do in our own interests, because as we’ve said from day one, if we allow this Russian aggression to go forward with impunity, it’s not just Ukrainians who are suffering, it’s virtually everyone around the world who relies on the principles that are at the heart of the UN Charter, including that one big country can’t simply trample on the borders of another, invade it, and try to take it over. If we allow that to go forward with impunity, if we don’t stand up against that, then it’s open season everywhere around the world.”
Video:
Sec. of State Blinken suggests Kevin McCarthy will be acting against the national interest if he removes Ukraine aid from the spending bill, “It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart and necessary thing to do in our own interest.” pic.twitter.com/wfTcQ2dp7a
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) September 10, 2023
If it is a bad idea that could harm the national interest, then it is something that the MAGA caucus in the House will push McCarthy to do. The reason why McCarthy is moving on taking Ukraine aid out of the government funding bill is that Trump’s followers in the House, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, are supporting Putin in the war, and removing aid to Ukraine helps Putin.
Even if the House removes the aid and the Senate restores it, the government will still shut down at the end of the month, and there will be no new aid package to Ukraine going out.
Blinken was correct. It is in the national interest to defend democracy and stop authoritarians from invading neighboring democracies.
Kevin McCarthy has positioned himself as acting against US national interests, which perfectly sums up where the Republican Party is under Donald Trump.
