Betrayal accomplished: Mike Johnson approves $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, disregarding the Hastert Rule

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) handed President Joe Biden a $61 billion package on Saturday afternoon, going back on his previous commitment to withhold foreign aid until the border was secured. Amid the closing vote for the Ukraine aid, several Democrats, and some Republicans, applauded, chanted “Ukraine,” and waved Ukrainian flags. Johnson criticized Democrats for breaching decorum by waving flags on the floor.

“It is in violation of decorum to waive flags on the floor,” Johnson scored Democrats.

The Ukraine portion of the foreign aid passed 311 to 112. One representative, Republican Dan Mauser (R-PA), voted present.

Johnson, once again, violated the Hastert Rule. Only 101 Republicans voted with Johnson, while 112 — a clear majority — opposed.

Republican House members circulated a document outlining a timeline of Johnson’s repeated insistence that the House would not advance a foreign aid package before securing America’s southern border.

Johnson’s change of heart started becoming evident in early March, following a meeting at the White House on February 28. This shift in stance comes after months of influence from both the White House and establishment Republicans.

The White House and intelligence state reeducation of Mike Johnson began before his seat warmed. According to Politico, “the administration held several closed-door briefings for Johnson and other lawmakers to update them on the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, starting just days after Johnson became speaker.”

Officials involved in those briefings included CIA Director William Burns and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

The Ukraine bill will be bundled into a larger foreign aid package that does not include border security.