Mike Johnson Under Pressure From Trump, Conservatives To Reject Bipartisan Border And Ukraine Deal: 'No One Is Strong-Arming Me'

The House Speaker, Mike Johnson (R-La.) finds himself in a precarious situation over a contentious Senate border deal, with pressures coming from conservatives, the White House, and former President Donald Trump.

What Happened: Johnson is being implored by Trump and conservatives to dismiss the bipartisan border and Ukraine aid package. Simultaneously, he is facing opposition from the Senate GOP and the White House, who are in favor of the agreement, reported The Hill.

The GOP Senate members argue that the aid to Ukraine provides leverage to secure essential border reforms. However, Trump, who has been in consultation with Johnson, advocates for rejecting any legislation that falls short of “perfection”.

Johnson’s predicament is further complicated by his slim House majority and potential threats to his position. Despite this, he assured in an interview with Fox News: “No one is strong-arming me.”

The Senate deal is expected to include changes to the asylum policy, but with many House Republicans hesitant to support a border measure that doesn’t align with their Secure the Border Act, negotiations remain strained.

While Johnson hasn’t entirely dismissed the deal, he has expressed the need to see the final text of the bill before making a decision.

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Why It Matters: Johnson’s recent stance on the Senate deal follows a series of events that have put him under scrutiny. Earlier this month, he upheld a contentious spending agreement, despite internal GOP tensions over the spending cap.

This week, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon criticized Johnson’s comment that Biden’s presidency was “God’s will,” arguing that a House Speaker should be a political leader, not a “theologian.”

Johnson also had to dismiss the threat of being ousted from his position by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) over his support for Ukraine aid.

Photo via Shutterstock.

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