House GOP Infighting Threatens Defense Bill and Government Shutdown

Five far-right House Republicans blocked a Pentagon spending bill from coming up for debate, dealing an embarrassing setback to Speaker Kevin McCarthy as he struggled to round up votes to prevent a government shutdown. The move exposed deep divisions within the GOP and left McCarthy scrambling for a way forward. The House's inability to move on a stopgap plan further delayed negotiations on a bipartisan spending compromise, with a temporary funding bill needed to keep the government funded after the end of next week. McCarthy now faces the difficult choice of either continuing to negotiate with a small group of members who want to shut down the government or teaming up with Democrats to keep funding flowing, potentially facing a bid to oust him from the speakership by right-wing lawmakers.