While Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is supportive of President Biden’s $105 billion request to Congress to fund Israel and Ukraine, among other emergency items, some GOP lawmakers are not on board with coupling the two.

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, joins the latest push from legislators who are skeptical of aid to Ukraine but fully support Israel’s war against Islamic militant group Hamas. 

Vance began circulating a memo among senators on Monday, titled, ‘Differentiating Ukraine and Israel.’ 

A wrench could be thrown into getting the package across the finish line as more GOP senators voice opposition to the mega package. Additionally, the House still stands in disarray as the lower chamber has yet to elect a new speaker. 

‘The administration seeks to link Ukraine and Israel funding. This is a grave error that betrays a lack of strategic focus. Each conflict is distinct and represents a different claim on U.S. interests,’ the memo reads.

Vance outlined five main points: 1) Israeli operations will help secure the Gaza Strip; the Ukraine war has jeopardized the European security architecture and threatens global disorder; 2) Our political and military relationship with Israel is qualitatively different from our relationship with Ukraine; 3) Israel has a qualitatively different defense capability than Ukraine; 4) Israel has an achievable objective; Ukraine does not; 5) The U.S. does not have a plan in Ukraine, but we do have a plan in Israel. 

‘Israel has a clear plan, and we have a clear means of helping them to fulfill that plan — by providing very specific munitions to enable Israel to conduct a limited operation with a view to neutralizing the threat Hamas poses to Israel. We have no such plan for the Russia-Ukraine War,’ Vance wrote in the memo. 

‘Our assistance to Ukraine is neither wellscoped nor secure, and includes funding for Ukrainian farmers, subsidies for Ukrainian small businesses, and payments for Ukrainian first responders,’ he added. 

Vance joins a growing choir of GOP lawmakers who are opposed to coupling the package. Instead, lawmakers want the package divvied out and voted on individually ahead of the Nov. 17 funding deadline. 

In a letter sent to McConnell and Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Friday, a handful of GOP senators — including Vance — wrote: ‘These are two separate conflicts and it would be wrong to leverage support of aid to Israel in attempt to get additional aid for Ukraine across the finish line.’ 

‘Furthermore, it would be irresponsible and we should not risk a government shutdown by bundling these priorities together and thus complicating the process and lessening the likelihood of a funding package,’ the letter continued.

The funding proposal includes $61.4 billion for Ukraine; $14.3 billion for Israel (with $10.6 billion allocated for military aid); $13.6 billion for border protection (including measures to combat the flow of fentanyl); and significant investments in Indo-Pacific security assistance, totaling around $7.4 billion. Additionally, there’s $9 billion earmarked for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza.

EXCLUSIVE: One of the nine House Republicans running for speaker is out with a list of five commitments he is calling on his fellow contenders for the gavel to commit to.

Republican Policy Committee Chair Gary Palmer, R-Ala., released the policy outline less than an hour before House GOP lawmakers are retreating behind closed doors to hear from the speaker candidates. 

That includes a commitment to fund the government with 12 individual spending bills by June 30; forcing ‘real spending cuts’ and not ‘budget gimmicks;’ refusing to pass any more short-term stopgap funding bills; giving members 72 hours to read a bill before it hits the House floor; and, perhaps most critically – making sure the GOP conference is on the same page before holding a House-wide vote.

‘Congress has been kicking the can down the road since before I was elected. We don’t need a person or a personality, we need a plan,’ Palmer said. 

‘The American people deserve a Republican Conference that is unified, transparent, and committed to the job. Before we vote tomorrow, every candidate should commit to these principles.’

On spending, Palmer is calling for specific deadlines he believes will help keep government open and funded without leaning on continuing resolutions or omnibus spending bills – both of which have wide opposition in the GOP.

Under Palmer’s plan, the House could not bring any legislation sent from the Senate after July 30 if all 12 appropriations bills have not been passed by then. It would also stop the House from recessing after July 31 if the 12 individual spending bills have not been passed – with a possible override for national security reasons via a two-thirds vote of the House.

It comes after ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from his role soon after passing a 45-day continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. The fiscal year ended on Sept. 30 with just four of 12 bills passed.

CHAOTIC, CONVOLUTED PATH HOUSE REPUBLICANS TOOK TO ELECT SPEAKER LEADS BACK TO SQUARE ONE 

He also called to ‘decentralize the legislative process and prioritize individual members’ policy priorities’ in uniting the conference before a House-wide vote. 

That point holds particular importance now as House Republican candidate for speaker struggle to get enough support to win a House-wide vote with no Democratic support.

Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, failed three House votes for speaker after becoming Republicans’ speaker-designate, not reaching the 217 votes necessary in any of the rounds. He was booted out of the race on Friday.

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., clapped back at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s, D-N.Y., comments she made Sunday with MSNBC’s Mehdi Hasan. 

‘Before I got to Congress, I spent 20 years in the financial industry, something that leadership here on Capitol Hill definitely needs,’ Donalds said on Fox’s ‘The Story’ with Martha MacCallum on Monday. 

‘Number two, I spent four years in the legislature in Florida. I chair two committees there, and number three, since being here on Capitol Hill, I’ve worked intimately with members of our leadership team and members all through the conference, both appropriators and authorizers to get some of our biggest pieces of legislation accomplished this Congress,’ he said. 

CHAOTIC, CONVOLUTED PATH HOUSE REPUBLICANS TOOK TO ELECT SPEAKER LEADS BACK TO SQUARE ONE 

He added, ‘So, with all due respect to miss Ocasio-Cortez, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. And if the Democrats are this concerned, I would tell my colleagues see what happens if I become your speaker.’

Ocasio-Cortez jabbed the Republican rep on Sunday, arguing that ‘he’s only served one term’ in the House and submitted ‘false evidence’ during a Biden impeachment hearing. 

‘I think it helps to know where all the bathrooms are before you run for the U.S. House of Representatives, personally, and I think it helps to have some real experience in one of most complex legislative bodies in the world before you try to run it,’ Ocasio-Cortez said. 

Her reference to falsified evidence in the impeachment hearing involved a screenshot of text messages between Hunter Biden and President Biden’s brother, James Biden, to further his argument that the president directly benefitted from his family’s foreign business dealings. 

There are now nine candidates officially in the running to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., but as the GOP caucus mulls its decision, there remain questions about how long the debate will rage, and if that means the party could lose voters in 2024.

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio failed to garner enough votes during his third round of floor-wide votes on Friday, sending party members back to the drawing board in an effort to end a stalemate. Twenty-five Republicans voted against him, leaving him roughly 217 votes short of securing a win. The slim GOP majority and unified Democrat opposition gives any speaker candidate little wiggle room for naysayers within his or her own party.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., currently serving as interim speaker, announced last week that Republicans will convene for another forum on the speakership race on Monday, with a probable floor vote scheduled for Tuesday. The competition remains shrouded in uncertainty as candidates vie to establish themselves as the most formidable contender, capable of garnering the necessary support to clinch the speakership.

Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for comment. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

Argentines went to the polls Sunday night in the first round of the presidential election which saw iconoclastic libertarian frontrunner Javier Milei face off against center-right former Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich, and current left-wing Minister of Economy Sergio Massa.

While most political observers expected Milei and Massa to face off in a second round, surging anti-establishment rage had led some to at least contemplate the possibility of a first-round Milei knock-out blow.

That scenario failed to materialize, as establishment candidate Sergio Massa overperformed: with 89% of the vote in, Massa led with 36.3%, followed by Milei with 30.2%, while Bullrich trailed in third at 23.8%.

Milei was expected to fare better. Massa’s strong showing now sets up a hotly contested second round matchup on November 19, which will largely hinge on the decision made by nearly a quarter of Argentines who backed Bullrich.

According to Argentine electoral law, a candidate needs 45% of the vote to win the first round outright, or 40% of the vote, with a 10 point margin of victory over the second place candidate.

Often incorrectly labeled ‘far-right’ or ‘populist’ by the international media, Milei is in fact a devout ideological libertarian whose Liberty Advances party has reshaped the political narrative in this South American nation of 45 million.

Despite riding high on a thrilling victory in last year’s World Cup soccer final, once mighty Argentina has been plunged into economic malaise and despair, as inflation levels have exceeded triple digits, and over 40% of the nation now officially lives in poverty.

Although he rejects the moniker ‘the Argentine Trump,’ Milei has long drawn comparisons to the brash billionaire. Despite some ideological differences, Milei has also received strong backing from former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Both men share a burning disdain for socialism and Communism, and have been outspoken in their opposition to the Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan dictatorships.

In a sign of the seriousness with which the Argentine establishment views the Milei threat, the candidate was recently charged by prosecutors with intentionally seeking to devalue the Argentine peso, in what many perceived as a politically motivated prosecution.

Current Vice President Cristina Kirchner, who has backed Massa in the contest, has herself long been the subject of a series of corruption and illicit enrichment investigations.

Argentina has long been dominated by the Peronist party, which, in turn, has been dominated by the Kirchner family for the past quarter-century. Massa, who hails from the most moderate line in the Peronist coalition, was widely viewed as the party’s best chance to stay in power. 

Nonetheless, in his current role overseeing the administration’s economic policy, he has had something of an albatross around his neck as the Argentine economy lies in ruins. His stronger-than-expected performance, at just over a third of the vote, may be a testament to the enduring strength of the nation’s Peronist movement.

Additionally, Brazilian President Lula da Silva recently sent a top team of campaign strategists and communications specialists to revive Massa’s faltering campaign, and improve his messaging.

In the course of the campaign, Milei frequently butted heads with fellow Argentine Pope Francis, who he describes as a Communist pushing an ideologically destructive social justice message. 

Polling was only allowed until a week before the election. Milei led by mid single digits in most polls, although they also indicated the race was tightening, with Milei and Massa each winning just under a third of the electorate.

The average of the last 5 national polls showed Milei at 30.8%, and Massa at 30.7%, with Bullrich trailing in third at 24.1%. However, given Milei’s previously demonstrated capacity to outperform the polls, many analysts believed the first round polls could underestimate Milei’s true performance.

Milei fared better with younger voters, and men, while Massa was preferred by older voters and women. As Argentina heads into a tight and contentious second round in a little less than a month, both candidates will be eager to court Bullrich voters.

At this point, it appears unlikely that Bullrich would endorse either Milei or Massa, having significant differences with both candidates.

Political analysts will likely be asking the following question: with Argentina’s economy in complete and utter freefall, and inflation pushing 140%, why did the Argentine electorate not evidence a greater turn against the ruling political party?

Argentines now have a clear choice between two radically different alternatives: Massa representing the business-as-usual establishment, and Milei the anti-establishment free-market outsider.

President Biden and the leaders of Western allies reiterated support for Israel’s right to defend itself on Sunday amid attacks from Hamas terrorists while also urging the Jewish State to protect civilians and follow international humanitarian law.

Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France President Emmanuel Macron, Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released a joint statement Sunday welcoming the release of two hostages by Hamas and calling on remaining hostages to be freed as well.

‘The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians,’ the statement read. ‘They welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. They committed to close coordination to support their nationals in the region, in particular those wishing to leave Gaza.’

More than 5,700 people have been killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel in decades on Oct. 7, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war on the terrorist group. Thousands more have been wounded, and many others have been taken hostage by Hamas and raped, tortured and murdered.

Americans Judith and Natalie Raanan, who are mother and daughter, were originally taken by Hamas from the Nahal Oz kibbutz in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip before they were released following Qatari mediation efforts.

The meeting among the Western leaders comes after Biden spoke earlier in the day with Netanyahu about humanitarian aid to Gaza and efforts to free the more than 200 people – including U.S. citizens – held hostage by Hamas.

In their statement, the leaders supported the arrival of first aid convoys in Gaza and committed to continuing to work with regional partners to ensure the residents of Gaza have safe access to food, water, medical care and other humanitarian assistance.

‘The leaders welcomed the announcement of the first humanitarian convoys to reach Palestinians in need in Gaza and committed to continue coordinating with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs,’ the statement read.

They also agreed to ‘continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace.’

Biden and Netanyahu discussed in their meeting the arrival of the first aid convoys to Gaza and pledged continued flow of humanitarian assistance to the region. The two leaders also spoke about efforts to secure the release of additional hostages and ways to assist civilians wishing to evacuate.

‘The leaders affirmed that there will now be continued flow of this critical assistance into Gaza,’ the White House said in a statement. 

‘The President expressed appreciation for Israel’s support in helping to accommodate the release of two American hostages. The leaders discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all the remaining hostages taken by Hamas – including U.S. citizens – and to provide for safe passage for U.S. citizens and other civilians in Gaza who wish to depart.’

Republicans’ race to nominate and elect a new speaker of the House has created a power vacuum that may benefit Democrats as the vacancy spills into its 20th day.

There are now nine candidates officially in the running to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., but as the GOP caucus mulls its decision, there remain questions about how long the debate will rage – and if that means the party could lose voters in 2024.

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio failed to garner enough votes during his third round of floor-wide votes on Friday, sending party members back to the drawing board in an effort to end a stalemate. Twenty-five Republicans voted against him, leaving him roughly 217 votes short of securing a win. The slim GOP majority and unified Democrat opposition gives any speaker candidate little wiggle room for naysayers within his or her own party.

Patrick McHenry, who is currently serving as interim speaker, said last week that Republicans will hold another forum Monday on the speakership runs, followed by a likely floor vote Tuesday. The race continues to be cloaked in uncertainty as candidates jockey as the strongest politician to pass muster and garner enough support to secure the speakership.

CHAOTIC, CONVOLUTED PATH HOUSE REPUBLICANS TOOK TO ELECT SPEAKER LEADS BACK TO SQUARE ONE 

‘Republican chaos’ on the Hill could dash the GOP’s hopes of holding onto the House in the next election cycle, but the party could save itself with the election of a new speaker, according to longtime Democrat strategist Hank Sheinkopf.

‘If a speaker can be elected, default avoided and defense budgets restored in the face of international crises, the chances of Democratic takeover will be reduced,’ Sheinkopf told Fox News Digital.

McCarthy was ousted on Oct. 3 after a small contingent of conservative Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida rallied support that McCarthy was paralyzing the conservative agenda in the House. Not a single Democrat voted in favor of keeping McCarthy as speaker while eight Republicans voted to oust him in an historic first for removing a speaker in a no-confidence vote.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana soon emerged as a possible replacement, but he dropped out after failing to secure enough support.

Jordan, an anti-establishment firebrand and founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, became the next nominee as some Republicans rallied around his conservative ideology, including former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him for being ‘STRONG on Crime, Borders, our Military/Vets, & 2nd Amendment.’

Jordan’s run came crashing down after he lost support during his third run as news of death threats made against several of Jordan’s holdouts made headlines. Jordan’s office has condemned the threats as ‘abhorrent,’ but Republicans have spoken out that the messages soured their support or potential support.

‘When the pressure campaigns and attacks on fellow members ramped up, it became clear to me that the House Republican Conference does not need a bully as the speaker,’ Georgia Rep. Drew Ferguson, whose family allegedly received threats, said in a statement last week. 

Sheinkopf argued that some House members are rejecting candidates who align politically with Trump in order to separate themselves from the former president’s legal issues.

‘GOP House members are rejecting MAGA candidates in what appears to be a first important step toward Trump independence. Why? The potential negatives arising from the former president’s legal troubles might rub off on Republicans, making it even more difficult to maintain House control,’ he told Fox.

Now, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Mike Johnson of Louisiana and others announced their runs as potential replacements for McCarthy.

Reports have already circulated of Republican in-fighting over Emmer’s run as those in Trump’s orbit spoke out that the former president would not endorse his run, citing a lack of relationship or contentious relationship, Politico reported last week.

As the speakership race continues, Democrats have been fundraising off the turmoil, arguing that the upcoming election cycle will yield favorable results for Democrats.

‘Republicans are in ruin,’ Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in an email seeking donations for her next run, Bloomberg reported. ‘They are wallowing in their own pigsty of incompetence.’

President Biden’s 2024 presidential campaign also sent a fundraising message to supporters, highlighting that the GOP removed its own speaker and a ‘bunch of extremist Republicans are throwing their name in the ring’ as a replacement.

Democrats have voted for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries amid Republicans’ runs for speaker.

Democrat strategist Brad Woodhouse weighed in last week that the ‘dysfunction’ playing out among House Republicans ‘will benefit’ the Democratic Party.

‘There’s almost no doubt that this type of dysfunction and chaos among Republicans will benefit Democrats,’ Woodhouse told Roll Call before Jordan bowed out of the race. ‘And I think you combine that with the notion that Jim Jordan is a guy that founded the House Freedom Caucus and is one of the most conservative firebrands in the House. … Even if they solve this current chaos by making him the speaker, they will definitely have cut off their nose to spite their face.’

Former Vice President Mike Pence sounded off against the ‘chaos caucus’ – and the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy – while former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called on voters to rally around Democrats after House Republicans nominated Jordan as speaker.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Saturday on X, formerly Twitter, that he’ll be ‘looking at’ the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, along with the 25 who voted against Jordan, if the House ends up with a speaker who supports hefty spending bills.

‘The question that all Speaker candidates must answer: What’s your plan to prevent an omnibus? McCarthy and Jordan both had plans that could’ve worked. If we end up with an omnibus and more spending, I’m looking at the 8 who vacated McCarthy and the 25 who voted against Jordan,’ Massie tweeted Saturday.

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York announced Sunday that nine candidates met the noon deadline to run as speaker.

An Iranian court has reportedly sentenced two female journalists on charges of collaborating with the United States more than a year after they were arrested while covering in the in-custody death of Mahsa Amini, who was allegedly being fatally beaten by the country’s morality police over improperly wearing the hijab, sparking massive demonstrations. 

Niloufar Hamedi, who broke the news of Amini’s death after wearing her headscarf too loose, and Elaheh Mohammadi, who wrote about Amini’s funeral, were sentenced to seven and six years in prison, respectively, the judiciary news website Mizan reported Sunday, according to the Associated Press. The sentencing can be appealed within 20 days.

‘Niloufar and Elaheh should never have been jailed, and we condemn their sentences. The Iranian regime jails journalists because it fears the truth,’ the Office of the U.S. Special Envoy of Iran, which is responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing the State Department’s Iran policy and reports directly to the Secretary of State, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 

The Tehran Revolutionary Court had charged the journalists with collaborating with the hostile American government, colluding against national security and propaganda against the system, according to Mezan. Hamedi worked for the Shargh, while Mohammadi worked for Ham-Mihan, both reformists newspapers. They were detained in September 2022.

Amid the war in Israel, Iran has received growing condemnation in the West for sponsoring terrorist groups, including Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

In May, the United Nations awarded the journalists its premier prize for press freedom for their commitment to truth and accountability.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the decision to sentence the two journalists and reiterated its call for their immediate release.

‘The convictions of Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi are a travesty and serve as a stark testament to the erosion of freedom of speech and the desperate attempts of the Iranian government to criminalize journalism,’ said Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator.

Amini’s death touched off months-long protests in dozens of cities across Iran. The demonstrations posed one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic’s government since the 2009 Green Movement protests drew millions to the streets. Although nearly 100 journalists were arrested during the demonstrations, Hamedi’s and Mohammadi’s reporting was crucial in the days after Amini’s death to spread the word about the anger that followed.

Their detentions have sparked international criticism over the bloody crackdown that lasted months after Amini’s death.

Since the protests began, at least 529 people have been killed in demonstrations, according to human rights activists in Iran. Over 19,700 others have been detained by authorities amid a violent crackdown trying to suppress the dissent, the AP reported. Iran for months has not offered any overall casualty figures, while acknowledging tens of thousands had been detained.

While in New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September, Jamileh Alamolhoda, the wife of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, sat down for an interview with ABC’s ‘This Week’ in which she argued that a new hijab law in the Islamic nation was being implemented ‘out of respect for women,’ despite violators potentially facing 10 years in prison. 

Alamolhoda also disputed claims that 22-year-old Amini was beaten while in custody, blaming her death on a ‘preexisting condition,’ and disputed United Nations figures about the hundreds killed during the demonstrations, instead claiming foreign governments were attempting to spread a ‘big lie.’  

Outrage swirled last month with her husband, Raisi, addressed the UN despite the deadly protests in his country and having sponsored planned assassinations of American citizens. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Sunday deemed China, Russia and Iran the new ‘axis of evil’ amid wars in Ukraine and Israel, while addressing U.S. funding of allies’ responses to those duel conflicts.

In a new sit-down interview with ‘Fox News Sunday’ host Shannon Bream, McConnell, the highest-ranking Senate Republican, agreed with fellow Republican Kentuckian Sen. Rand Paul that the $1.5 trillion deficit is ‘entirely too big.’ But while Paul remarked last month that the U.S. under the Biden administration was borrowing heavily from China just to send aid to Ukraine, McConnell instead emphasized Sunday that the deficit also expanded during the prior administration under former President Donald Trump. 

‘You have to respond to conditions that actually exist that are a threat to the United States. The Iranians are a threat to us as well. And so, this is an emergency. It’s an emergency that we step up and deal with this axis of evil – China, Russia, Iran – because it’s an immediate threat to the United States,’ McConnell said. 

‘In many ways the world is more endangered today than it has been in my lifetime,’ McConnell said, recalling that unlike when the Berlin Wall fell, the world faces a ‘big power competition’ coinciding with the terrorism threats in the Middle East and culminating in Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists.

‘The question is, is American going to lead?’ McConnell posed to Bream. ‘I think the Biden administration sent the wrong signal and they had the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. I think that was like giving a green light to Putin to go into Ukraine. And we see that Iran, principal sponsor of terrorism, sending drones to the Russians and attacking – Hezbollah and in this particular situation, Hamas – attacking the Israelis with drones. So it’s all connected. You can’t separate out one part of it and say we’re only gonna deal with this. It’s all connected.’ 

McConnell said, ‘We know which side they’re on’ in regard to China’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war, adding, ‘We need to view this as a worldwide problem.’

As for the budget supplemental, McConnell said Senate Republicans will want something ‘credible on the border,’ telling Bream, ‘If we’re going to accept the financial responsibility of helping our allies we certainly want to do something to help ourselves.’ Bream noted how Republicans like Sen. JD Vance of Ohio are critical of President Biden for tying Ukrainian aid to the atrocities seen in Israel during Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack to ask Congress for more funding, but McConnell argued the conflicts are connected. 

‘I don’t view this as about whether to give Biden credit or not. This is a question of whether it’s a serious threat to the United States. If the Russians aren’t defeated, they’ll go into a NATO country next,’ McConnell warned. ‘And the notion that somehow our Asian allies are unconcerned about Ukraine is completely wrong.’

‘The prime minister of Japan said if you want to send President Xi a message, beat the Russians in Ukraine,’ he continued. ‘The South Koreans, the Japanese, the Taiwanese are all interested in what’s happening over in Ukraine because they know President Xi is watching that. President Xi recently declared that they had an endless friendship with the Russians. What more do you need to know about how relevant Ukraine is to Asia and to the Middle East?’ 

As Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, Bream asked McConnell what China might be making of Axios reporting that artillery shells the U.S. designated for Ukraine are being diverted to Israel and that Taiwan has millions of dollars worth of equipment and artillery that the U.S. has been unable to fulfill. 

‘One of the best things about this from a U.S. point of view, is when we give older equipment to the Ukrainians for example, we are rebuilding our industrial base in this country. There are jobs being created by the help we’re providing Ukraine in 38 states. And rebuilding our industrial complex for the more serious big power threat in Asia. So the notion that our assistance for Ukraine is not helpful to us is something not factual.’ 

With 10 Americans still unaccounted for more than two weeks after Hamas’ massacre in Israel, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the terrorist group is believed to be holding at least some of them hostage in Gaza.

Blinken addressed the missing Americans during an appearance on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ saying that the U.S. is still uncertain whether some of the unaccounted for are dead, with their bodies yet to be recovered, though a ‘significant number’ are believed to be held hostage. 

‘We’ve got 10 unaccounted for Americans,’ Blinken said. ‘We believe that some significant number are hostages.’

He continued, reiterating that ‘we have a pretty strong idea that some number of the 10 at least are being held in Gaza by Hamas.’

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed in the war – mostly civilians slain during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. Hamas is also believed to have taken more than 200 people hostage during its deadly incursion, which Blinken described as a slaughter.

‘But, you know, what’s happening is – and it just underscores the horror – Israel continues to discover, uncover people, who were killed, who were slaughtered, and I use that term very advisedly, slaughtered, on Oct. 7,’ he said.

Two American nationals held captive by Hamas were released Friday. They were identified as Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie Raanan, who originally were taken by Hamas from the Nahal Oz kibbutz in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip.

Video of President Biden speaking with both the mother and daughter by phone was posted to social media on Saturday.

‘We’re going to get them all out, God willing,’ Biden said in the video.