Tim Pierce

Well, Georgia, it's a costly one. $2.5 billion in security assistance, which includes artillery, other weapons, and air defense systems. Half of that is coming directly from the Pentagon, while the other half comes from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which essentially lets the U.S. government procure weapons from defense contractors on behalf of Ukraine.

And on top of that, the Treasury Department is releasing $3.4 billion in additional budgetary aid to Ukraine. So that's about $6 billion altogether and brings the total amount of money dispersed to Ukraine under the Biden administration to around $175 billion.

And on top of that, the Treasury Department is releasing $3.4 billion in additional budgetary aid to Ukraine. So that's about $6 billion altogether and brings the total amount of money dispersed to Ukraine under the Biden administration to around $175 billion.

It's pretty clear to anyone watching this that Biden is trying to send as much money as possible to Ukraine before Trump takes office and has a chance to turn off the hose. And in his statement announcing the grant, Biden pretty much admits to this. He said he's directed his administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible.

It's pretty clear to anyone watching this that Biden is trying to send as much money as possible to Ukraine before Trump takes office and has a chance to turn off the hose. And in his statement announcing the grant, Biden pretty much admits to this. He said he's directed his administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible.

And he stresses that at my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine's position in this war over the remainder of my term in office.

And he stresses that at my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine's position in this war over the remainder of my term in office.

Well, in terms of the aid itself, this doesn't really change much. Trump and J.D. Vance campaigned on reducing aid to Ukraine and have consistently criticized Biden for doing stuff like this. So Trump's still in a good position to keep that campaign promise and stop the aid to Ukraine.

Well, in terms of the aid itself, this doesn't really change much. Trump and J.D. Vance campaigned on reducing aid to Ukraine and have consistently criticized Biden for doing stuff like this. So Trump's still in a good position to keep that campaign promise and stop the aid to Ukraine.

But Biden's final gift could make things tricky for Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson as they negotiate the ongoing battle over the debt limit. Remember, the House narrowly avoided a government shutdown days before Christmas when they passed the bill to fund the government until the spring.

But Biden's final gift could make things tricky for Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson as they negotiate the ongoing battle over the debt limit. Remember, the House narrowly avoided a government shutdown days before Christmas when they passed the bill to fund the government until the spring.

That was after conservative lawmakers helped kill a funding bill backed by Trump and spearheaded by Johnson that would have extended the debt ceiling for at least two more years. Trump has called for the ridiculous debt ceiling to be extended to 2029 or eliminated outright, which is a deal breaker for budget hawks like Senator Rand Paul and members of the Freedom Caucus.

That was after conservative lawmakers helped kill a funding bill backed by Trump and spearheaded by Johnson that would have extended the debt ceiling for at least two more years. Trump has called for the ridiculous debt ceiling to be extended to 2029 or eliminated outright, which is a deal breaker for budget hawks like Senator Rand Paul and members of the Freedom Caucus.

There have been rumblings of a plan to oust Johnson for his willingness to extend the debt ceiling, and this is where the Ukraine stuff comes in. Some of Johnson's critics have slammed his willingness to compromise with Democrats on Ukraine funding.

There have been rumblings of a plan to oust Johnson for his willingness to extend the debt ceiling, and this is where the Ukraine stuff comes in. Some of Johnson's critics have slammed his willingness to compromise with Democrats on Ukraine funding.

So even though this most recent tranche of aid was going to Zelensky with or without Johnson's buy-in, the optics certainly aren't good for an already embattled speaker.

So even though this most recent tranche of aid was going to Zelensky with or without Johnson's buy-in, the optics certainly aren't good for an already embattled speaker.

Well, we'll have to see. On the one hand, Republicans have a razor-thin majority in the House, just 219 to 215. That means Johnson can only afford to lose one member of his caucus and keep his seat. But things have started to look up for Johnson in recent days.

Well, we'll have to see. On the one hand, Republicans have a razor-thin majority in the House, just 219 to 215. That means Johnson can only afford to lose one member of his caucus and keep his seat. But things have started to look up for Johnson in recent days.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich praised his leadership, and he got support from New York Congressman Mike Lawler, who said that anyone who thinks they can oust Johnson is being unrealistic. But the speaker's biggest boost came yesterday when he got a sweeping endorsement from Trump, who wrote on Truth Social that Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hardworking religious man.