Pentagon threatening Americans over Ukraine funds: Report

The Pentagon has reportedly been trying to blackmail Americans by threatening US lawmakers to fund more money for Ukraine to fight the war against Russia.

Critics of President Joe Biden in Congress say the White House has already wasted more than $100 billion worth of taxpayers’ money on the war. They have declined to approve further funds for Kiev.

White House confirms over $100b spent on Ukraine war despite Russia warnings

The White House has confirmed that the administration of US President Joe Biden has spent more than $100 billion on the war in Ukraine since last February.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reportedly tried to blackmail lawmakers by threatening to send their families instead of Ukrainian forces to fight the Russian troops if Congress fails to approve more funding for President Vladimir Zelensky.

“The Biden administration is openly threatening Americans over Ukraine. In a classified briefing in the House yesterday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed members that if they don’t appropriate more money for Zelensky, ‘we’ll send your uncles, cousins and sons to fight Russia.’ Pay the oligarchs or we’ll kill your kids,” RT cited a Thursday posting by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on X, quoting Austin as saying.

The Biden administration is openly threatening Americans over Ukraine. In a classified briefing in the House yesterday, defense secretary Lloyd Austin informed members that if they don’t appropriate more money for Zelensky, “we’ll send your uncles, cousins and sons to fight… pic.twitter.com/BPKMEBW8TK

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) December 7, 2023

Since Russia started its military campaign in Donbas in February 2022, Congress has approved over $120 billion worth of military assistance to Kiev.

The funding allocated to Kiev has almost run out at this point, and the Biden administration has been asking Congress for more money to continue the war.

For this purpose, the Biden administration chose to bundle its request for fresh funding to support Ukraine alongside providing aid for supporting the Israeli regime, in addition to weapons for Chinese Taipei, as well as funding for the “border security” along the US southern frontier with Mexico.

However, some Republicans in both the House and the Senate have rejected the request. GOP Senators even stormed out of their briefing on Wednesday and later voted against advancing the aid package.

US Senate blocks bill as Israel supersedes Ukraine for war funding

The vote was 49 in favor to 51 against. But 60 votes were needed in the 100-member Senate to start debating the $110.5-billion measure.

In the meantime, Republican chairs of the Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence Committees in the House of Representatives have embraced the White House talking points in a memo aiming to persuade their party members to back the Ukraine funding bill, according to Axios.

The $60-billion package, if approved, will give the lion's share of money to help Ukraine keep up pressure on Russia while more than $10 billion would go to the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza.

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