Gaetz continues to tease motion to remove McCarthy, ties it to Ukraine aid

Hard-line Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz on Monday continued to tease introducing a motion to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, accusing him of making a "side deal" with President Joe Biden on Ukraine funding to get Democratic support to avoid a government shutdown -- something McCarthy has denied.

Speaking on the House floor, Gaetz said that "there may be other votes coming today or later this week" that could be affected by McCarthy's answers to his allegations about a secret deal.

"Members of the Republican Party might vote differently on a motion to vacate if they heard what the speaker had to share with us about the secret side deal with Joe Biden on Ukraine," Gaetz, R-Fla., said. "I'll be listening. Stay tuned."

"It is going to be difficult for my Republican friends to keep calling President Biden feeble while he continues to take Speaker McCarthy's lunch money in every negotiation," Gaetz added.

President Biden signed the spending bill just before the shutdown deadline but criticized Republicans for leaving out assistance to the war-torn nation. He said he expected McCarthy to "keep his commitment" to Ukrainians as spending negotiations continued.

"We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted," Biden said. "I fully expect the speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment."

When Biden was asked if he could trust Speaker McCarthy on the next deal after he backed off June's debt limit agreement, Biden said: "We just made one about Ukraine. So, we'll find out."

Pressed on Biden's comment on Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly refused to clarify what Biden had been talking about.

"When it relates to what the president said, I'm certainly not going to go beyond what he said," Jean-Pierre told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce. "But what we know, what we know is that there's bipartisan support for this deal. Again, Speaker McCarthy was on the air multiple times yesterday saying that he wants to, he certainly wants to continue to support for Ukraine to get the weapons that they need. And so, we're gonna hold him to that. That is something that he has said. That is a commitment that he has made."

Gaetz, during his floor speech, observed that Ukraine "has lost the support of a majority of the majority" – with the Florida congressman asserting that McCarthy had previously agreed to abide by the so-called "Hastert Rule" not to call a vote on legislation that the majority of House Republicans opposes.

"You cannot use Democrats to roll a majority of the majority -- certainly on something as consequential as Ukraine," Gaetz said. "So for all the crocodile tears about what may happen later this week about the motion to vacate, working with the Democrats is a yellow brick road that has been paved by Speaker McCarthy, whether it was the debt limit deal, the CR, or now the secret deal on Ukraine."

Earlier Monday, McCarthy denied that he cut a deal with President Biden to hold a vote on Ukraine funding but rather said he promised White House officials could meet with congressional staff to discuss the president's supplemental request.

"What I have always said before I am for weapons for Ukraine. That's how I have voted. I've been very clear in the process that he's got a problem that he has not shown a clear message on how we're going to win and what is our mission?" McCarthy said. "I've been very clear about American border takes priority."

McCarthy also indicated he is open to arming Ukrainians but not as keen about rebuilding the country.

"There are more Americans being killed because of the southern border than there are with Ukraine," he said. "I believe Ukraine is very important. I have already always supported arming Ukraine. It's not sending money to Ukraine, that's arming Ukraine with the weaponry to the defend."

Questioned further about a possible motion to vacate, McCarthy attempted to steer the focus back to government funding. He told reporters that his "entire focus" is on finishing the House's appropriations bills after he teamed up with Democrats to avert a government shutdown on Saturday.

"We want to continue to finish all of our work. We've got a short time period here about 45 days to get our work done," McCarthy said as he he arrived at the Capitol on Monday morning.

The short-term funding bill passed over the weekend, which funds government until Nov. 17, didn't include financial aid to Ukraine.

House Democratic leadership also released a statement stating they "expect Speaker McCarthy to advance a bill to the House Floor for an up-or-down vote that supports Ukraine" when the House returned to session.

When asked if he'll need Democratic votes to help keep him in the position were a motion to vacate be filed, McCarthy said, "You'd have to ask them I don't know. I'm just gonna focus on doing the work I'm supposed to do. I think this is a question to the institution itself. I know in the past the other leaders together always believed this should never be in play. But I'm not worried about it. I've got a job to do."

McCarthy was noncommittal on cutting a deal with Democrats to stay on as speaker.

Ahead of Gaetz's floor speech, another Republican made the case for McCarthy staying on as speaker -- stating a motion to vacate would hurt conservative priorities.

"The immediate effect would paralyze the House indefinitely just when we are on the verge of completing the appropriations process that will initiate discussions with the Senate that are vital to change the dangerous path that our country is on," Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said of a motion to vacate. "I cannot imagine a more counterproductive and self-destructive course than that."

Moments after he spoke on the House floor, Gaetz conceded to ABC News that he may not have the votes to kick McCarthy out of his job as he addressed reporters outside the Capitol.

Asked by ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott if he would he try again if his efforts fail, Gaetz said, "Yeah."

"Well, like I've said it took Speaker McCarthy 15 votes to become the speaker. So, until I get to 14 or 15, I don't think I'm being any more dilatory than he was," he said.

ABC News' Rachel Scott, Lalee Ibssa and Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.