ANALYSIS — House conservatives messed around and found out. Their feud with an ousted speaker is suddenly more than a list of grievances — it could hinder a close U.S. ally in a surprise war.
Moderate GOP members and Congress watchers warned that ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the speakership would leave the House paralyzed. For months, the California Republican went along with many demands of that faction, repeatedly trying to placate members who have made clear they view the government itself as at the core of many problems.
The group’s gripes manifested in their demands for federal spending cuts, something the new speaker could be confronted with immediately after taking the gavel. Now expecting those members to stand down on giving billions of dollars to Israel, Ukraine and possibly Taiwan could be a tough ask.
