Speaker Johnson undermines Trump on Ukraine; Outrages Conservatives

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is drawing fire from conservatives in Congress for his pushing of the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity (REPO) Act for Ukrainians. The REPO act would allow the administration to seize between $5 to $8 billion in Russian assets and use the money to finance Ukraine’s recovery.

Congressman J.D. Vance (R-OH) has noted that the bipartisan legislation could be used by Donald Trump’s opponents to control him should he be reelected to another term.

I’ve heard multiple people who hate Donald Trump argue that the REPO Act will be used to control him in the next administration. So why is a Republican House speaker pushing it through Congress?

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 16, 2024

Vance notes that the legislation would freeze current sanctions on Russia and would require an act of Congress to change it. Still, he points out, that’s a decision the president should be making.

The legislation freezes the current sanctions regime on Russia, and requires an act of Congress to change it. Maybe you like those sanctions, or hate them, or think they should be harsher. Whatever your views, the president should make this decision.

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 16, 2024

According to Politico, earlier this month, Speaker Johnson floated the Russian asset seizure proposal as a way to respond to a Biden administration request for more aid for Ukraine.  Johnson also said that Republicans are also weighing an expansion of U.S. natural gas exports to “unfund” Russia’s war effort.

Conservative Republicans are pushing back against the Speaker’s actions with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) telling Johnson that he’s ready to cosponsor the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).

I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by @RepMTG.

He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker.

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 16, 2024

The conservative resistance to the ongoing flow of aid to Ukraine reflects a growing dissatisfaction with a D.C. establishment that is placing greater emphasis on looking out for foreign nations and U.S. arms contractors than on the needs of the American people.