United States | Mud slinging

Mike Johnson may have to choose between Ukraine aid and his job

The Republican House speaker is trapped by hardliners on his own side

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House
A choicePhotograph: Getty Images
| WASHINGTON, DC

SPARE SOME pity for Mike Johnson, the stuck speaker of the House of Representatives. A relatively obscure congressman thrust into leadership six months ago when the ungovernable Republican majority threw out the former speaker, Kevin McCarthy, Mr Johnson may be defenestrated too if he does something that he seems to think that he must: provide additional military aid to Ukraine, over the objections of the isolationist wing of his party.

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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Help is on the way, maybe”

From the April 13th 2024 edition

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