GOP leaders criticize President Biden for acknowledging the depletion of the United States’ ammunition stockpile while simultaneously providing lethal aid, including cluster bombs, to arm Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
During a CNN interview, Biden defended his decision to supply deadly cluster munitions to Ukraine, admitting, “This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it.”
Sen. Tom Cotton, a former U.S. Army infantry officer and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, agrees with Biden’s acknowledgment, stating that the administration has not adequately prepared the U.S. for major conflicts, including accelerating munitions production.
Rep. Jim Banks, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, echoes Cotton’s sentiment, asserting that in a hot war with China, the U.S. would exhaust critical ammunition supplies within a week. Banks claims that Democrats took billions of dollars’ worth of weapons purchased by taxpayers over decades and sent them to Ukraine within a year.
Replenishing the U.S. ammunition stockpiles quickly becomes a top priority for Republicans in Congress to project strength internationally, according to Banks.
However, a White House official seemingly walks back Biden’s statement, emphasizing that the military maintains specific requirements for ammunition reserves, and everything sent to Ukraine exceeds those numbers. The official reassures that the U.S. is not running out of ammunition itself.
The Biden administration’s decision to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine marks a complete reversal from last year, when they condemned their use in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a war crime. The administration now justifies the decision, claiming that these weapons are essential to Ukraine’s defenses.
White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan defends the move, acknowledging the risks cluster munitions pose to civilians but emphasizing the need to support Ukraine’s defense.
House Republicans express concerns about the speed at which the U.S. is providing assistance to Ukraine. Speaker Kevin McCarthy plans to block additional funding for the country, stating that the push for more supplemental aid is not moving forward in the House.
Rep. Andy Biggs asserts that the U.S. should prioritize its own needs and halt the shipment of artillery ammunition to Ukraine.
Sen. J.D. Vance shares his concern over Biden’s admission of low ammunition supply, highlighting the strain the Ukraine war places on U.S. national security.
The transfer of cluster munitions faces criticism from progressive Democrats such as Reps. Barbara Lee and Chrissy Houlahan. Lee expresses alarm at the consideration of sending cluster bombs to Ukraine, citing a Human Rights Watch report on civilian casualties caused by these weapons. She believes the U.S. and Ukraine should not stoop to Putin’s level in their fight for rights and freedom.
As Biden signs a waiver allowing the transfer of cluster munitions with a higher dud rate, a group of House and Senate Republican committee leaders commend the decision but criticize the delay in taking action. They believe providing such munitions will fill a crucial gap in Ukraine’s military capabilities while alleviating strain on the U.S. stockpile of unitary warheads.