Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

‘Morning Joe’ Host Asks With A Straight Face If Putin Is Behind GOP Opposition To Border Bill

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MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski on Monday questioned Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind House Republicans’ opposition to the recently published bipartisan Senate border security bill.

The United States Senate unveiled the text of a bill for border security reforms in exchange for aid to Ukraine on Sunday, but House Republicans have voiced their disapproval. Brezinski inquired on “Morning Joe” if the opposition was due to the influence of Putin and former President Donald Trump.

“What do you say to Speaker Johnson who says this bill is worse than he thought or whatever it was he said? I mean, how does one not see how these House Republicans are responding to this bill as not the hand of Trump and even Putin at play?” Brzezinski asked Schumer. “And what do you say to Speaker Johnson directly about how they are playing this?”

“Don’t let the 30 hard right people in the House who are extreme, they wanted us to default, they wanted the government not to pay its debts, they wanted the government to shut down,” Schumer responded. “They’re extremists, and they’re running your show. Do the right thing. You know what the right thing to do is. You know we need to fix our border. You know that it has to be bipartisan. The bill that you passed didn’t get a single democratic vote in the House or the Senate. How are you going to get anything done? Or do you just want to make a speech as you admittedly say the border is in chaos? Do something about it. Don’t just politically posture.”

The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 is a 370-page bill and proposes allocating $48 billion to aid Ukraine during its war with Russia as well as close to $16 billion to assist Israel during its war with terrorist group Hamas until Dec. 31. The bill also aims to fund border security reforms like hiring additional immigration judges and law enforcement to deport illegal migrants.