Just like Republican Party leader Donald Trump, it looks like Kevin McCarthy would rather criticize our allies in NATO than call out his own members for refusing to support the alliance standing up to Russia. But why should anyone be surprised? Not only does his caucus have a clear anti-NATO, pro-Putin wing, but Kevin McCarthy is so desperate to cling onto power that he’s completely surrendered control of his caucus to far-right extremists. 

This weekend, Kevin McCarthy refused to condemn the 63 House Republicans that voted against a resolution supporting NATO. 

Politico Playbook: “House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY on the members of his conference who voted against a NATO support resolution, on ‘Fox News Sunday’: ‘There’s a strong support for NATO moving forward — always has been. NATO is the process of defending themselves, but the one thing we need to make sure, these NATO countries spend the money, more than 2%.’”

Aaron Rupar: “Asked on Fox News about 63 House Republicans voting against a resolution supporting NATO, Kevin McCarthy channels Trump by talking about how NATO countries need to ramp up their military spending”

It’s long been clear that McCarthy has lost control of his clown show of a caucus, which has a growing faction of NATO skeptics. 

Washington Post: “Just last week, more than 30 percent of House Republicans voted against a symbolic measure reaffirming support for NATO. Their reasons were varied and often not totally apparent, but it followed from years of the GOP tilting toward NATO skepticism — with some not-so-gentle nudging from Trump.”

Washington Post: “Regardless, all of it suggests the party is still evolving on this issue — and certainly not in a pro-NATO direction.”

MSNBC: “When it comes to the GOP’s so-called ‘Putin wing,’ the would-be House Speaker appears content to effectively ask, ‘What problem?’”

But why should we expect anything different from McCarthy when Donald Trump spent years undermining NATO and would have likely pulled the U.S. out of the alliance if he had won a second term? 

Newsweek: “Donald Trump Condemns NATO When Asked About Russia’s ‘Evil’ Actions”

Washington Post: “Bolton says Trump might have pulled the U.S. out of NATO if he had been reelected”

Washington Examiner: “Trump also highlighted the strong-arming he engaged in to convince NATO countries to increase their defense budgets. The former president conceded that he essentially threatened to ignore the treaty’s Article 5 commitment that an attack on one is an attack on all.”

CNN: “Trump’s barrage of attacks ‘beyond belief,’ reeling NATO diplomats say”

CNN: “Trump administration to cut its financial contribution to NATO”

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