Ukraine aid imperiled by Trump demands to reject border compromise

‘THE POLITICS ON THIS HAVE CHANGED’: Former President Donald Trump’s demand that congressional Republicans reject anything other than a “perfect” deal on the border so he can make immigration reform the centerpiece of his reelection campaign is threatening to derail delicate negotiations aimed at also freeing up more than $60 billion in military assistance desperately needed by Ukraine.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told a closed meeting of Senate Republicans yesterday that the politics of the border has flipped for Republicans, casting doubt on linking Ukraine aid to a border deal, according to Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News.

“When we started this, the border united us and Ukraine divided us,” McConnell reportedly told his GOP colleagues. “The politics on this have changed.”

“McConnell referred to Trump as ‘the nominee’ and noted the former president wants to run his 2024 campaign centered on immigration,” according to the Punchbowl report. “We don’t want to do anything to undermine him,” McConnell reportedly said. “We’re in a quandary.”

The question is whether the Ukraine aid will be severed from the border debate or whether the continued linkage will doom the money for Ukraine.