As the House of Representatives prepares to take up a contentious vote on military aid for Ukraine, cracks are emerging in Speaker Mike Johnson’s tenuous control of the narrowly divided chamber.
Some conservative Republicans are warning they may try to oust Johnson if he allows a Ukraine funding package to reach the floor, raising the possibility of a reprise of the messy leadership fight that kicked off this Congress.
Acknowledging the precarious situation, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) conceded on Sunday that it is “possible” Mike Johnson could lose his speakership over the Ukraine issue.
“I’m not going to deny it,” Bacon told NBC, pointing to hardliners like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who have signaled plans to force a vote to vacate Johnson’s chair.
The showdown stems from the speaker’s pledge to soon “turn our attention” to approving aid for Ukraine’s military after a two-week congressional recess. While the Senate passed a $95 billion Ukraine package in February, House Republicans have been deeply divided, with some prioritizing border security over foreign intervention.
Greene filed a motion to try ousting Johnson right before recess, warning he “should not bring funding for Ukraine” to the floor. Other Republicans like Rep. Matt Gaetz have pushed the Speaker to only allow an aid bill that is fully paid for by domestic spending cuts elsewhere.
“If there were no offsets, we’d be really disappointed,” Gaetz told CNN, saying Mike Johnson agrees the border must be the top priority over assisting Ukraine’s war effort against Russia’s invasion.
However, offsetting the entire aid package could alienate Democrats whose votes Johnson may need to survive any leadership challenge from his right flank. Rep. Jim Clyburn indicated Sunday that many House Democrats would back Johnson staying as Speaker if he “does the right thing” by approving robust Ukraine funding.
The narrowly divided House gives outsize leverage to just a handful of members. “It’s a very narrow majority, and one or two people can make us a minority,” Bacon lamented.
Moderate Republicans have pushed for a bipartisan $66 billion national security package that includes funds for Ukraine as well as Israel and Taiwan. But that compromise is unlikely to satisfy hardliners demanding all Ukraine aid be paid for with spending cuts.
