US Republicans criticized Biden administration for sending weapons to Haiti instead of Ukraine
President of the US, Joe Biden (photo: Getty Images)
Influential members of the Republican Party in the US have accused President Joe Biden's administration of bypassing lawmakers to send military aid to Haiti. American politicians believe that this could negatively impact defense support for Ukraine, according to Politico.
The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, and Senator Jim Risch, in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, criticized the White House for using its presidential powers to expedite the allocation of $60 million in military aid to the Kenyan army to suppress gangs that are sowing chaos in Haiti.
It is noted that this package includes rifles, ammunition, and armored vehicles for the Kenyan forces being sent to the island.
"They're expected to arrive on Thursday - the same day Kenyan President William Ruto will meet with top US officials in Washington," Politico states.
Republican lawmakers wrote in their letter that the administration is rushing to fund an undefined and indefinite involvement in Haiti without Congressional approval, and such a decision in this context is highly questionable.
The Republicans question whether the US-backed plan for Haiti will truly succeed, given that there are no specific forecasts in the US about how long it will take to defeat the gangs in that country.
Meanwhile, concerns are growing that Washington's support for Haiti could come at a high cost to Ukraine amid the ongoing large-scale military aggression from Russia, Politico writes.
"Armed services are conducting internal inventory audits to see what they can spare for Haiti - which puts it in direct competition with Ukraine for materials," a Republican aide told Politico on condition of anonymity.
What was the State Department's response
Meanwhile, the State Department stated that the US is responding to multiple critical needs around the world, and the situations in Ukraine and Haiti are different.
"Supporting the people of Haiti does not limit or take away from our ability to support the people of Ukraine. Both are important priorities and in each case, we identify support tailored to the needs of our partners," the spokesperson added.
