Provisions buried in the Ukraine supplemental funding bill would make it nearly impossible for a future president to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict without facing impeachment from Congress. U.S. Senator J.D. Vance is raising the alarm regarding the legislative text and its implications for a future Trump presidency should Trump pursue peace between Ukraine and Russia.
In a memo to colleagues, Vance warns of a buried impeachment trigger using the same obscure budget laws Democrats cited during President Trump’s 2019 impeachment. Contained in the supplemental funding bill, Vance notes, are appropriations totaling $1.6 billion for foreign military financing and $13.7 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative — both budgeted into 2025. This would extend the funding into the first term of a possible second Trump administration. Should a future President Trump move to pause these funds to allow for a peace process to move forward, it could trigger a similar impeachment scenario Trump faced in 2019.
In 2019, the Republican President was accused by Congressional Democrats of ‘abuse of power’ and ‘obstruction of Congress’ for withholding aid that had been earmarked to be sent to Ukraine. Democrats argued former President Trump contravened the opinions of “career experts” — and the Impoundment Control Act — to pressure Ukraine’s political leadership to divulge information regarding their dealings with Joe Biden when he served as vice president. While the Democrats were successful in impeaching Trump in the House, the Senate declined to convict Trump.
Should former President Trump retake the White House and, as promised, pursue an end to the conflict in Eastern Europe, the cost of peace may very well be another attempt by Congressional Democrats to impeach him. “The supplemental represents an attempt by the foreign policy blob/deep state to stop President Trump from pursuing his desired policy, and if he does so anyways, to provide grounds to impeach him and undermine his administration,” Vance argues in his memo to colleagues, adding: “All Republicans should oppose its passage.”