In the House of Representatives, which is in recess until at least next week, several Republican lawmakers are openly or privately vying for the top job.

However, the consequences of the revolt by a small faction of hard-line conservatives are becoming evident – and will probably be felt both in the US economy and on Ukrainian battlefields.

A closer look at two of the biggest issues: The Biden administration has warned Congress for weeks that funds allocated by Congress for US war aid to Ukraine are nearly depleted. Sullivan predicted a “sliding scale of disruption” if Congress didn’t authorise tens of billions more to cover the remainder of the year by October.

Additional funds were not approved due to pressure from right-wing members of the House – the same conservatives who ousted Mr McCarthy on Tuesday.

With Mr McCarthy gone, new aid appears unlikely to arrive anytime soon.

Until a new speaker is elected, the House can’t do anything substantive. As of right now, the earliest it could happen is the middle of next week.

Furthermore, whoever takes the job will be under at least the same pressure – and face the same dilemmas – as Mr McCarthy. Matt Gaetz, who spearheaded the drive to unseat Mr McCarthy, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who backed him, are vehemently opposed to more Ukrainian aid. Republicans on the right flank are almost certain to rise up against any speaker who brings a vote on the issue to the floor.