Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered a decisive blow to bipartisan efforts on Tuesday, urging Congress to proceed with the defense supplemental spending package while abandoning the bipartisan border security deal.

During his weekly press conference at the Capitol, McConnell emphasized the lack of viable prospects for the border security agreement to navigate through both chambers. He implored Democrats to follow suit in relinquishing support for the deal.

“It looks to me and most of our members, we have no real chance here to make a law,” McConnell stated following discussions with the Senate GOP Conference.

The proposed legislation, aimed at unlocking aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, faced criticism from detractors across party lines, with House GOP leadership vowing to quash the deal. Even former President Donald Trump intervened, actively lobbying lawmakers against the bill.

The rift widened within the Senate Republican Conference, particularly among hard-line conservatives like Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who advocated for the replacement of current GOP leadership over their endorsement of the supplemental.

With over 25 GOP senators expressing opposition, representing more than half of the 49-member conference, it became evident by Tuesday morning that the bill lacked sufficient support for Senate passage.

In response to McConnell’s retreat from the deal, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) condemned his Republican counterpart and pledged to proceed with a scheduled Wednesday cloture vote on the bill.

“Tomorrow, the American people will find out whether Senators want border security and to combat Putin’s expansionism — OR — whether they want to stand with Trump and Putin and their brand of perpetual chaos,” Schumer expressed on X social media platform.

Credit: Washington Examiner