Biden speech explained: US president to ask for $100 billion in wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine

Biden will address the US later this evening. Credit: AP

President Biden is wasting no time in ‘selling’ his Middle East visit to the American public.

Tonight he will address the nation only for the second time in his presidency from the Oval Office.

The last time he talked to viewers in prime time was back in June, explaining the importance of a Bipartisan deal to avoid America defaulting on its debt, an agreement which later fell apart.

Tonight his speech from behind the Resolute Desk will be centred on foreign policy: specifically the importance of standing by Ukraine and Israel in their hour of need.

Tying the two wars together is a deliberate strategy to frame the conflicts as struggles for freedom which will shape the world order for decades to come.

It also serves a useful political purpose when it comes to securing more military aid for both countries.

Hardline Republicans are less likely to balk at sending more arms to Kyiv, if it is part of a package which will also help the Israelis.

Biden’s package is also expected to include increased spending on security at the US Mexico border and some money for Taiwan to counter any Chinese invasion, partly to win over diehard Republicans who are opposed to further funding for Ukraine.

The amount he is expected to request is staggering : $100 billion. To put that in context, that is about an eighth of America’s entire education budget.

But there’s a problem with this request: the US House of Representatives still has no Speaker, meaning passing legislation and therefore approving military assistance is not possible.

An attempted vote to empower the current interim Speaker, Patrick McHenry, allowing the legislative wheels to turn again, has just failed.

Disagreements amongst the House Republicans has so far resulted in deadlock.

Furthermore President Biden knows it’s not just a sceptical Congress he has to win over; it’s also the American people, many of whom are not yet feeling the benefits of Biden’s economic policies and might legitimately ask: why are my tax dollars going abroad when I am struggling to put food on the table for my family?

He will attempt to answer that question tonight, setting out how critical the fight is against Hamas and Russia.

The bottom line will be: freedom is not free, it comes at a price, and that price is worth paying.

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