Kevin McCarthy confirms he will STRIP $300 MILLION in Ukraine funding from the Pentagon spending bill, hold separate vote on it after rebellion from Marjorie Taylor Greene

Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he would cut all funding for training Ukrainian troops in their fight against Russia from the Pentagon funding bill, just one day after meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Republican leader made the move in an effort to gain votes in court after suffering two rare failures this week in a vote to advance the defense bill.

The $300 million for training Ukrainian troops will now be voted on separately.

“I just voted NO on the defense bill rule because they refused to take out the war money for Ukraine and put it in a separate bill; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., usually a McCarthy ally, posted on X after the second line vote.

The separate vote on aid to Ukraine would likely pass and even draw Democratic votes, unlike the defense spending bill itself, which was packed with conservative policymakers. But this way, anti-Ukrainian aid lawmakers like Greene could vote for the defense bill and against the training aid.

“I just voted NO on the defense bill rule because they refused to take out the war money for Ukraine and put it in a separate bill; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., usually a McCarthy ally, posted on X after the second line vote

McCarthy and other House leaders met with Zelensky at the Capitol on Thursday as the Republican leader refuses to commit to an additional funding package to directly help Ukraine.

The White House has requested an additional $24 billion aid package, on top of the nearly $113 billion in aid the US has sent to the country.

Although anti-Ukrainian sentiment has grown among Republicans in the House of Representatives, a majority in both chambers still supports this proposal

Meanwhile, Congress is heading toward a government shutdown on Oct. 1, with the House of Representatives passing one of 12 separate spending bills to fund every government agency.

Attempts to pass a continuing resolution (CR) or austerity bill, which would give the government an extra month to work out spending bills, went up in flames in the House of Representatives this week, amid conservative opposition.

The White House has requested an additional $24 billion aid package for Ukraine, on top of the nearly $113 billion in aid the US has given to the country.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote Tuesday on a rule to begin debate on the defense, domestic, state and foreign operations and farm appropriations bills.

But with all the political wrangling required to get Republicans on board to pass individual, partisan spending bills, the plan for pushing through spending legislation that could win Senate and White House approval is even less clear.

A CR would likely be needed to prevent a government shutdown — and a number of Republicans have said they would join Democrats in pushing through a CR if it were the only way to avoid a prevent government shutdown.

McCarthy said Friday he still believes “you’re at a standstill, you’re in a weaker position” to negotiate and said he will again try to include a CR that includes deep cuts and border security provisions.

“I just believe that if you don’t fund the troops and the border, it’s pretty hard to think you’re going to win in a shutdown,” McCarthy said. “I’ve seen that happen a few times, and if members think that’s a positive idea, putting you in a shutdown, then I don’t think most of our conference is there.”