Ukraine Aid Package Poses Impeachment Risk for Trump in Second Term, Says JD Vance
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) is warning his fellow Republicans that a $95.3 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan creates an added impeachment risk for former President Donald Trump should he retake the White House next year.
President Trump has signaled a desire to see a peaceful settlement to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and has repeatedly said he would bring the fighting to an end within 24 hours if he were to return to the White House.
President Trump’s ability to end the conflict may hinge, in part, on stopping the flow of U.S. weapons and support to the Ukrainian side of the conflict.
Mr. Vance, an ally of President Trump, sent a memo to his Republican colleagues on Monday, stating there exists a “hidden impeachment clause” in the supplemental spending bill that could constrain President Trump’s abilities to end the conflict.
The Ohio Republican wrote that if the provisions in the supplemental spending bill do become law, it would set the stage for an impeachment vote similar to the one President Trump faced in December 2019, over his decision to temporarily pause the delivery of $391 million in U.S. taxpayer funds to Ukraine for military assistance.
“The bill includes $1.6 billion for foreign military financing in Ukraine, and $13.7 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. These funds expire on September 30, 2025—nearly a year into the possible second term of President Trump,” Mr. Vance’s warning letter states. “These are the exact same accounts President Trump was impeached for pausing in December 2019.”
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The 2019 impeachment articles, brought by the then-Democrat majority in the House of Representatives, alleged President Trump had improperly conditioned U.S. support for Ukraine on an announcement of an investigation into then-candidate Joe Biden. President Trump’s team argued during the impeachment proceedings that there was no clear evidence that he had conditioned aid on the announcement of an investigation by the Ukrainian government.
Senate Advances Ukraine Aid
On Sunday, the Senate
voted to advance the $95.3 billion supplemental spending package to a final Senate vote. In total, 18 Republican senators joined 47 Democrats and two independents in the Senate to advance the military spending package.
“The supplemental represents an attempt by the foreign policy blob/deep state to stop President Trump from pursuing his desired policy, and if he does so anyways, to provide grounds to impeach him and undermine his administration,” Mr. Vance wrote. “All Republicans should oppose its passage.”
