House Speaker Johnson Defends Israel Aid Bill, Claims He's 'Calling the Shots,' While White House Calls It a 'Ploy'
• House Speaker Mike Johnson defended pushing a stand-alone bill to provide aid to Israel, which the White House dismissed as a "ploy."
• Johnson said the House was not offered a briefing on or involved in negotiations over the Senate's tentative immigration deal.
• When asked if former President Trump is "calling the shots," Johnson said he is not and that Johnson himself is "calling the shots for the House."
• The White House spokesperson argued Johnson made "inherently contradictory claims" about Trump's stance and whether legislation is needed to secure the border.
• National security adviser Jake Sullivan called the stand-alone Israel aid bill a "ploy" and not a serious effort to deal with national security challenges.