House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Tuesday that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) committed to linking Israel and Ukraine aid packages as he seeks to shore up support for his Speakership bid.
McCaul is among a number of moderate Republicans who have come around to backing Jordan this week after meetings with the former far-right Freedom Caucus chairman.
McCaul told CNN’s Kate Bolduan that one deciding factor for him was Jordan’s commitment to linking U.S. aid for Israel’s war against Hamas with funding for Ukraine’s war against Russia.
“Well, I had a very good conversation with him. I was concerned about national security issues, particularly if we pass an Israeli supplemental national security bill, would Ukraine be included in that?” McCaul said.
“And I was assured that he could link the two. He would look at the details of that, but that was very important to me.”
McCaul has suggested a supplemental foreign aid package that would include funding for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and border security provisions. The White House is reportedly considering making a similar funding request.
But first the House needs to elect a Speaker. Jordan secured the GOP nomination last week, and a floor vote on his candidacy is Tuesday.
McCaul said another key reason for his support of Jordan was the need to have someone become Speaker, so the House can respond to multiple crises.
“We have to govern. I mean, as we look at what’s unfolding in Israel, my committee does the authorization of use of military force. If we don’t have a Speaker in the chair, we can’t pass any of this stuff,” he told CNN Tuesday.
The Hill reached out to Jordan’s office for comment on McCaul’s characterization of their conversation.
Politico’s Olivia Beavers previously reported that at least one GOP member said Jordan had committed to a joint Ukraine-Israel supplemental funding package.
However, such a move is sure to draw opposition from other Republicans, who oppose any additional military support for Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote Tuesday that she’s a “hard NO” on linking Ukraine and Israel aid.
“There is $3.3 billion for Israel in the State and Foreign Ops bill that we passed and the Senate needs to pass it and Biden should sign it. We need to secure OUR OWN BORDER!” she wrote on X, the platform formerly called Twitter.