House Republicans have filed articles of impeachment against President Biden, accusing him of withholding weapons shipments to Israel in exchange for policy changes, a move they say is similar to what Democrats accused former President Trump of doing with Ukraine.
President Joe Biden is facing impeachment charges from House Republicans over his decision to withhold some military aid from Israel due to his objection to their military campaign in Gaza. Republicans argue that Biden's action, similar to what Democrats accused former President Trump of doing with Ukraine, constitutes an impeachable offense.
In a statement, GOP Rep. Cory Mills said that Biden "abused the powers of his office by soliciting a 'quid pro quo' with Israel while leveraging vital military aid for policy changes." He added that Biden's actions "compromised the credibility of the United States" and "undermined the interests of our longstanding ally, Israel."
The impeachment charges stem from a tweet Biden posted in 2019, in which he accused Trump of withholding aid to Ukraine unless they granted him a political favor. Biden's critics argue that his recent move to withhold weapons from Israel is similar in nature.
"Joe Biden endorses his own impeachment," conservative writer Bonchie wrote on Twitter. "This is no joke—Biden continues to put his own personal, political interests ahead of the national interest."
Others, such as New York Post reporter Jon Levine, noted the "newly relevant" nature of Biden's 2019 tweet.
While some have defended Biden's actions, pointing to a report from the Congressional Research Service that states the President has the authority to withhold weapons if he finds the recipient country has used them for unauthorized purposes, Republicans maintain that Biden's decision was politically motivated.
"Biden withheld Congressionally appropriated aid to uproot Hamas in a political pay off pro-Hamas radicals," said Trump adviser Stephen Miller. "This warrants impeachment and criminal investigation."
The White House has dismissed the accusations as "ridiculous," stating that senior administration officials had already made public statements about Rafah, the target of Israel's military campaign, similar to the President's.
"We are also ensuring Israel gets every dollar appropriated in the supplemental," a White House official said. "Our decision whether to deliver that purchase right now, which could enable an operation we’ve publicly and privately objected to."
However, Democrats are also criticizing Biden's decision. Rep. Ritchie Tores said he suspects Biden is "pandering to the far left," while others have accused him of "election year politics."
The impeachment charges are a significant development in the ongoing tensions between the Biden administration and Republicans, and the outcome could have far-reaching implications for the President and his agenda.
