Republican House Speaker Pushes Back Against Trump’s Call for Border Deal

Former President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of the Senate‘s border legislation has prompted pushback from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. During an interview with NBC‘s Kristen Welker on Sunday, Johnson asserted that he, not Trump, is in control of the House’s actions regarding border issues.

In a social media post last week, Trump blamed President Joe Biden for the current state of the border and called for a stronger response to the issue. Some Republican members of Congress have echoed Trump’s sentiments, suggesting that it is Biden’s responsibility to address the border situation.

However, Johnson made it clear that he will not consider any border deal in the near future. He emphasized that it is the House’s responsibility to make decisions on the issue.

Trump, in his continued efforts to influence the debate, has advised legislators to reject any border legislation that falls short of his expectations. He has advocated for executive action and vowed to take unilateral measures to close the southern border.

While some Republican senators claim they have received indications from Trump that he does not want the border problem resolved and instead wants to blame Biden, a bipartisan group of senators announced on social media that they have reached a compromise on border legislation. The full details of the legislation have not yet been made public.

Johnson expressed frustration with being excluded from the Senate negotiations, stating that he has not been offered a briefing. He noted that he and his colleagues made a trip to the border to hear from those in charge and gather information about potential solutions.

The House Speaker’s role is to unite the factions within the Republican majority that voted to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October. Johnson assured Welker that he has been advocating for measures to address the border issue even before Trump’s involvement.