House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Blaze News in an exclusive interview Monday that Ukraine funding is off the table in the future as President Donald Trump continues peace talks this week.
Johnson told Blaze News that there is "no appetite" for additional Ukraine funding in the future now that Trump is at the head of the negotiations, noting that the president is the "change agent" needed to bring the conflict to an end.
'They need to resolve this. That’s one of the pressure points I think it's important for them to recognize, and I think that’s what President Trump is communicating.'
"We're in a totally different posture now," Johnson told Blaze News. "Everybody wants to bring it into this war, this conflict. We desperately need peace to be restored there, and that’s good, not just for Europe and the West but for us in the United States as well."
"The investment that was made thus far was to allow Ukraine to be in a posture, ultimately, where they are right now, to be in a position to be able to deliver peace," Johnson added. "But I think what President Trump is doing is he’s the change agent that’s necessary for this, and we knew that. We campaigned on it all last year."
To Johnson's point, Trump has been nothing short of a "change agent." Last week, the president delivered scathing remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a "dictator" and criticizing the overseas abuse of American tax dollars.
But now with Trump back at the White House, Congress is no longer keen on bankrolling Zelenskyy's war effort.
'President Trump is that transformative figure.'
"There’s no appetite for it in Congress," Johnson told Blaze News. "We had made that clear with them. They need to resolve this. That’s one of the pressure points I think it's important for them to recognize, and I think that’s what President Trump is communicating."
"You've got to have a change in leadership, because to restore peace through strength, you have to have a strong commander in chief of the U.S. that our adversaries respect and fear, in some respects, and someone that our allies trust and believe in," Johnson told Blaze News. "President Trump is that transformative figure."
Trump has been spearheading peace talks with Russia, much to Zelenskyy's frustration. When Trump first held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and excluded Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president lashed out at the administration, insisting that any future peace deal must be reached with him in the room.
"I think of it very much like an arbitration," Johnson told Blaze News. "I used to be a lawyer, and we would do those. When you have an arbitration where you're trying to get two parties to resolve something, the first meeting is never with them in the same room. It's by design and necessity that you meet with them individually and separately first. You get the issue set agreed upon, and then you bring the parties together to finalize it."
"President Trump is in that process, and I think everyone needs to allow it time to happen," Johnson added.
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President Joe Biden's administration has reportedly made a last-minute push for Ukraine aid in the upcoming government spending bill Congress will need to pass by December 20.
The Office of Management and Budget sent a request in late November urging Congress to approve another $24 billion of emergency funding toward weapons and equipment for Ukraine in the upcoming funding package. Speaker Mike Johnson, however, has expressed disinterest in approving additional aid.
'It is not the place of Joe Biden to make that decision now.'
"I'm not planning to do that," Johnson said during a press conference Wednesday when asked about Biden's request.
"There are developments by the hour in Ukraine," Johnson continued. "I think, as we predicted and as I said to all of you weeks before the election, if Donald Trump is elected, it will change the dynamic of the Russian war on Ukraine. And we're seeing that happen."
Johnson noted that he would prioritize the suggestions of incoming President-elect Donald Trump over the current Biden administration.
"It is not the place of Joe Biden to make that decision now," Johnson said during the press conference. "We have a newly elected president, and we're going to wait and take the new commander in chief's direction on all of that."
Congress will have to pass another funding bill by December 20 in order to avoid a government shutdown before the holidays. Johnson noted earlier this week that he is expecting the funding to go into March while others within the conference have advocated for a funding bill that would go into January.
The reality is the longer the funding bill is extended, the less wiggle room for the incoming administration to set its legislative agenda.
Republicans are also expecting at least three vacancies in the upcoming Congress due to Trump's nominations, tightening the already slim House majority. As a result, Republicans will likely have to rely on Democrats to approve a spending bill, weakening their bargaining power.
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Arizona Republicans introduced a constitutional amendment proposal on Monday that seeks to help end the chaos and mismanagement in the state’s elections. “Arizonans are tired of excuses and chaos on Election Day. The Arizona Secure Elections Act gives voters clear rules, strong identification standards, and the confidence that only citizens are taking part in our […]
'The issue is larger than Wyss and the Sixteen Thirty Fund taking advantage of this loophole.'
To most observers, the Kansas law is not only entirely reasonable, but sets a bare minimum expectation for how American political funding should function across the board.
Republican lawmakers in several states are making a concerted effort to keep foreign money out of ballot initiative campaigns.
Tens of millions of dollars in foreign money have been used to influence ballot measure in Ohio.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals placed an administrative stay on a ruling that barred the law from taking effect in time for the election.
The law was designed to stave off interference by foreign actors who have given millions to influence previous ballot campaigns.
Election integrity groups are demanding Ohio's House speaker advance legislation prohibiting foreign money in state ballot measure campaigns.
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