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Massie: 'I don't believe in foreign aid'
Story by bmetzger@insider.com (Bryan Metzger) •2d
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky on Capitol Hill on October 10, 2023. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images© Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
"I am opposed to foreign aid," the Kentucky Republican told Insider in an interview at the Capitol. "Some people say my position on opposing all foreign aid is radical. I think what's radical is sending money to other countries when we're going bankrupt."
And he doesn't care how much heat he gets for it.
"I'm basically at this point, immune. I've got the antibodies to almost every attack that can be leveled at me," said Massie. "I'm not worried, and if I don't end up coming back here, I'm not worried either."
Massie, an idiosyncratic libertarian, has long been opposed to both foreign aid and imposing sanctions on foreign countries. Last year, he joined Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in voting against more than a dozen bills targeting Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
He was also the lone Republican to vote against sending an additional $1 billion to Israel to help replenish the country's "Iron Dome" missile defense system in September 2021.
After facing attacks ads from the pro-Israel group AIPAC over that vote, Massie doubled down, accusing the American lobbying group of "foreign influence."
It's not yet clear what kind of aid the White House will request for Israel, and Massie stressed that he didn't want to "answer about a bill I haven't seen, regardless of what it is."
"But infer what you want from my other votes," he added.
Asked about what role the United States should play in the Israeli response to the Hamas attack, Massie argued that more scrutiny is needed of existing foreign aid. Israel has long been the top recipient of US foreign aid, totaling $158 billion to date and $3.8 billion annually since 2019.
"I think one of our questions should be, are you allocating that money properly?" said Massie. "How did this happen? Did you put too much emphasis on technology, and not enough on just basic defense?"
Massie also pointed out that he voted for the House's defense spending bill, which includes the $3.8 billion in Israeli aid that the US provides annually.
"As a consequence of voting for that bill, you know, I voted for it," said Massie. "If there's a standalone package — I've never voted on a standalone package for foreign aid to anybody."
Beyond Massie, other lawmakers likely to oppose further US aid include progressives such as Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri or Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, both of whom have called for ending US aid to Israel in the wake of the attack.
The White House is also said to be considering a strategy in which US aid to Israel and Ukraine would be paired together in an effort to ease the passage of more Ukraine aid. While Republicans are increasingly opposed to Ukraine aid, they remain overwhelmingly willing to provide aid to Israel.
But many conservatives, including Massie, have protested against such a strategy.
"I think that's a really bad idea to link that," said Massie. "It's a step backwards, why wouldn't we have separate votes?"
Story by bmetzger@insider.com (Bryan Metzger) •2d
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky on Capitol Hill on October 10, 2023. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images© Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
- The White House may soon request more aid for Israel in the wake of the Hamas attack.
- At least one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, is signaling that he's likely to vote against it.
- "I don't believe in foreign aid," he said, indicating that it's not solely about Israel.
"I am opposed to foreign aid," the Kentucky Republican told Insider in an interview at the Capitol. "Some people say my position on opposing all foreign aid is radical. I think what's radical is sending money to other countries when we're going bankrupt."
And he doesn't care how much heat he gets for it.
"I'm basically at this point, immune. I've got the antibodies to almost every attack that can be leveled at me," said Massie. "I'm not worried, and if I don't end up coming back here, I'm not worried either."
Massie, an idiosyncratic libertarian, has long been opposed to both foreign aid and imposing sanctions on foreign countries. Last year, he joined Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in voting against more than a dozen bills targeting Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
He was also the lone Republican to vote against sending an additional $1 billion to Israel to help replenish the country's "Iron Dome" missile defense system in September 2021.
After facing attacks ads from the pro-Israel group AIPAC over that vote, Massie doubled down, accusing the American lobbying group of "foreign influence."
It's not yet clear what kind of aid the White House will request for Israel, and Massie stressed that he didn't want to "answer about a bill I haven't seen, regardless of what it is."
"But infer what you want from my other votes," he added.
Asked about what role the United States should play in the Israeli response to the Hamas attack, Massie argued that more scrutiny is needed of existing foreign aid. Israel has long been the top recipient of US foreign aid, totaling $158 billion to date and $3.8 billion annually since 2019.
"I think one of our questions should be, are you allocating that money properly?" said Massie. "How did this happen? Did you put too much emphasis on technology, and not enough on just basic defense?"
Massie also pointed out that he voted for the House's defense spending bill, which includes the $3.8 billion in Israeli aid that the US provides annually.
"As a consequence of voting for that bill, you know, I voted for it," said Massie. "If there's a standalone package — I've never voted on a standalone package for foreign aid to anybody."
Beyond Massie, other lawmakers likely to oppose further US aid include progressives such as Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri or Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, both of whom have called for ending US aid to Israel in the wake of the attack.
The White House is also said to be considering a strategy in which US aid to Israel and Ukraine would be paired together in an effort to ease the passage of more Ukraine aid. While Republicans are increasingly opposed to Ukraine aid, they remain overwhelmingly willing to provide aid to Israel.
But many conservatives, including Massie, have protested against such a strategy.
"I think that's a really bad idea to link that," said Massie. "It's a step backwards, why wouldn't we have separate votes?"
