House GOP hardliners oppose giving $14.5 billion in aid to Israel, say US already too deep in debt

Hard-line House Republican lawmakers are opposing a plan to provide $14.5 billion in aid for Israel's war against Hamas, arguing it would further increase the country's deficit and debt.

"If Congress sends $14.5 billion to Israel, on average we’ll be taking about $100 from every working person in the United States. This will be extracted through inflation and taxes. I’m against it," wrote Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Monday in a post on X.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., revealed that she also plans to vote against providing the additional aid to Israel, which has declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas that launched deadly attacks on Israel several weeks ago. 

"I’m voting NO as well," she said. "We are $33 TRILLION in debt and our wide open border is a national security crisis."

Israel is considered the United States' closest and oldest ally in the Middle East.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he plans to seek offsets to pay for the additional aid but as of Monday his plan remained unclear.

Johnson also said GOP leaders plan to have separate Israel and Ukraine spending bills. 

Massie wrote on X that the U.S. has already provided $3.8 billion to Israel and the $14 billion would be on top of it. He signaled that he plans to vote against additional aid to Ukraine too.

The Biden administration and Congress have directed at least $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, which includes humanitarian, financial and military support, since Russia invaded the neighboring country in February 2022.

​"High rates on mortgages and car loans, as well as price increases at grocery stores, are due to government over-spending. To pay for excessive spending, we borrow and print money, which causes inflation and higher interest rates. I’m voting No on foreign aid to put [America] first," Massie wrote.  ​