Internet fumes as Mike Johnson calls Joe Biden's veto threat to Israel aid bill 'an act of betrayal'

WASHINGTON, DC: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La), sharply criticized President Joe Biden Monday evening, February 5, following the White House's threat to veto House Republicans’ stand-alone Israel aid bill.

The proposal faced rejection in a 250-180 vote on Tuesday, February 6.

"The President’s veto threat is an act of betrayal," Johnson declared in a statement. "Israel is at war, fighting for its very right to exist, while our brave men and women in uniform are in harm’s way on his orders to deter Iran. In threatening to veto aid to Israel and to our military forces, President Biden is abandoning our ally in its time of greatest need. I urge friends of Israel and opponents of Iran to call the President’s bluff and pass this clean aid package."

Johnson had announced his intention over the weekend to pass legislation allocating $17.6 billion to Israel as it combats Hamas. However, the House ultimately rejected the standalone bill on Tuesday.

The legislation emerged amidst negotiations for a broader measure involving a bipartisan group of senators and the White House. This broader initiative aimed to link aid for Israel with $60 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, $10 billion in humanitarian aid for Palestinian territories, and $20 billion in new funds for US border security.

However, this comprehensive measure stalled in the upper chamber. In the 250-180 vote, 14 Republicans joined 166 Democrats to oppose the bill.

Standalone bill criticized across the political aisle

The White House characterized the standalone bill as a "cynical political maneuver" in response to the bipartisan negotiations on security funding and border policy.

"The Administration spent months working with a bipartisan group of Senators to reach a national security agreement that secures the border and provides support for the people of Ukraine and Israel, while also providing much-needed humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by conflicts around the world," read a statement from the Office of Management and Budget.

"Instead of working in good faith to address the most pressing national security challenges, this bill is another cynical political maneuver. The security of Israel should be sacred, not a political game. The Administration strongly opposes this ploy which does nothing to secure the border, does nothing to help the people of Ukraine defend themselves against [Russian President Vladimir Putin’s] aggression, fails to support the security of American synagogues, mosques, and vulnerable places of worship, and denies humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom are women and children," it added.

House Democratic leaders, in a “Dear Colleague” letter prior to Tuesday’s vote, signaled their opposition to the standalone bill, describing it as a “nakedly obvious and cynical attempt by MAGA extremists to undermine the possibility of a comprehensive, bipartisan funding package." 

“We are prepared to support any serious, bipartisan effort in connection with the special relationship between the United States and Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Reps Katherine Clark (D-Mass) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif) wrote.

“Unfortunately, the standalone legislation introduced by House Republicans over the weekend, at the eleventh hour without notice or consultation, is not being offered in good faith.” 

“Here at home, the time has come for House Republicans to end the political stunts and come together in support of a comprehensive approach to our national security priorities,” they added.

The conservative House Freedom Caucus also opposed the bill due to its absence of offsetting spending cuts, which were included in House-approved legislation last November. This previous measure aimed to provide Israel with $14.3 billion for its war against Hamas while cutting Internal Revenue Service funding earmarked in Biden’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act, the New York Post reported.

“It is extremely disappointing that the Speaker is now surrendering to perceived pressure to move an even larger but now unpaid for Israel aid package – reversing course on his stance to require new supplemental spending to be offset,” the Caucus said in a statement Sunday.

“Conservatives should not be forced to choose between borrowing money to support our special friend Israel or honoring our commitment to end unpaid supplemental spending that exacerbates our nation’s unsustainable fiscal crisis and further risks our ability to respond to future crises.” 

Social Media Backlash

Many on social media criticized Speaker Johnson after he described the White House's veto threat as an "act of betrayal."

"I thought y'all didn't want money sent to foreign countries or are y'all being hypocritical again?" one posted on X.

"Not securing the U.S. border is an 'act of betrayal'. Since when were other countries' borders more important?" another fumed.

"Acts of Betrayal are becoming the status quo," someone else commented.

"Politicians on the left and right fighting over which countries they get to send money to first, all while our country is being invaded," another offered.