National Security Spokesman John Kirby Confirms White House Has No Regrets About Combining Ukraine Aid and Border Security Funding
On Thursday, National Security Spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the White House has no regrets about including Ukraine aid in the package with funding for border security, a day after Senate Republicans blocked the supplemental funding bill. When asked if there was any second guessing inside the White House about the decision to lump together the two issues, Kirby responded with a resounding “no.”
Kirby’s comments come after the Senate failed to pass the $4.5 billion supplemental spending bill that included $3 billion for border security and $1.5 billion for Ukraine aid. The bill was blocked by a group of Republican senators who argued that the inclusion of Ukraine aid was a “poison pill” that would make the bill unpalatable to President Donald Trump.
Despite the setback, Kirby expressed confidence that the White House had made the right decision in combining the two issues. He noted that the administration has been consistent in its support for Ukraine, and that the aid package was part of a larger strategy to ensure the country’s security and stability.
“The United States has been and remains committed to the security and stability of Ukraine,” Kirby said. “We have been very clear about that, and we have been very consistent in our support for Ukraine.”
Kirby also emphasized the importance of border security, noting that the administration has been working to secure the U.S. border and prevent illegal immigration. He said the funding package was an important step in that effort, and that the White House would continue to pursue its goals.
“We remain committed to securing our border,” Kirby said. “We believe that the funding package was an important part of that effort, and we will continue to pursue our goals.”
Kirby’s comments come at a time when the White House is facing criticism from both sides of the aisle for its handling of the supplemental spending bill. Democrats have accused the administration of playing politics with the aid package, while Republicans have argued that the inclusion of Ukraine aid was unnecessary.
Despite the criticism, Kirby maintained that the White House had made the right decision in combining the two issues. He said that the administration was focused on providing both border security and support for Ukraine, and that the two issues were not mutually exclusive.
“We believe that both of these issues are important and that they should be addressed together,” Kirby said. “We have been consistent in our support for Ukraine, and we believe that the funding package was an important part of our strategy to ensure the country’s security and stability.”
Kirby’s comments are a strong indication that the White House is standing by its decision to combine the two issues, and that it has no plans to back down from its stance. It remains to be seen whether the Senate will pass the supplemental spending bill, but for now, the White House appears to be standing firm in its support for both border security and Ukraine aid.
