House Speaker Mike Johnson Negotiating Wartime Funding for Ukraine and Israel

House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing a challenging task as he negotiates with the White House to advance wartime funding for Ukraine and Israel through the House. The top House Republican, Steve Scalise, revealed that Johnson has been in discussions with White House officials to create a package that deviates from the Senate’s $95 billion foreign security package and includes several Republican demands.

Johnson has been under pressure to provide much-needed aid to Ukraine, including ammunition and weaponry for Kyiv, but has delayed advancing the aid for months. He is now navigating a deeply divided Republican conference, with differing opinions on how to support Ukraine, as well as conflicting views from potential presidential contenders.

President Joe Biden has criticized Republicans for not aiding Ukraine, accusing them of doing the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the other hand, former President Donald Trump has advocated for a more isolationist stance. Johnson is set to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to gain his support for the Ukraine funding package.

Despite facing threats from within his own party, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene threatening to oust him as speaker, Johnson is also working on legislation with the White House to structure funding for Ukraine as loans and make other policy changes. He is also pushing for the Biden administration to lift a pause on approvals for Liquefied Natural Gas exports.

With a narrow and divided majority in the House, Johnson has had to work with Democrats to advance major legislation. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries suggested that the only way forward is to vote on the Senate’s national security package, and Democrats may help Johnson retain his position if he does so.

However, there are divisions within the Democratic party as well, particularly regarding sending offensive weaponry to Israel while it engages in a campaign in Gaza. The Biden administration has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future U.S. support depends on protecting civilians and aid workers.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the House to pass the Senate’s aid package to prevent giving Putin a victory in Europe. The negotiations and political maneuvering surrounding the wartime funding for Ukraine and Israel highlight the complex dynamics at play in the House as Johnson navigates this treacherous task.