Kevin McCarthy's Clash with Senate GOP Over Defense Budget Threatens Party's Strategy.
Republican defense hawks seeking to pass a supplemental spending bill to boost defense spending after the debt ceiling deal effectively flattened the Pentagon’s budget may have no avenue to alter it as GOP leader Kevin McCarthy won’t support spending above the caps in his larger quest to rein in federal funding. McCarthy stressed the need to find “efficiency and savings” in the Defense Department, citing its inability to pass an audit and the slow pace of acquisitions. The political dynamics could change, however, with defense hawks pointing to the continued need to arm Ukraine and position the military to deter China in the Pacific.