House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said former President Donald Trump “doesn’t have a say in” how Republican lawmakers approach border security agreements.
“He doesn’t have the power to decide. I have the power to decide for the House of Commons. That’s our responsibility,” Johnson said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. ” he said. “I’ve been saying this for much longer than President Trump has been saying. I’ve been saying what the requirements are to solve the problem. I don’t care if they call this bill HR2. What we’re saying is, you have’ to stop the flow. ”
Johnson’s comments come as a bipartisan group of senators presses on the border deal, which he previously said does not go far enough to secure the border, ABC News reported. He was quoted as saying, “This is not a start in the House of Representatives.”
Congress continues to break records in fights over spending, borders and shutdowns
Former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images | Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Trump himself has voiced opposition to the deal, saying Republicans who vote for it should be “ashamed.”
Representatives for Johnson and Trump did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Johnson took to the House floor last week to criticize some of the details of the Senate bill, including rumors that the president could authorize a border closure after 5,000 people entered the country illegally.
“But apparently we’re concocting some kind of deal so that the president can close the border after 5,000 people break the law. Why 5,000 people? That adds up to another million people. According to ABC News, Prime Minister Johnson said: “We’re going to take corrective action every year before we take corrective action. This is madness. “If there are 5,000 violations, you have to ask what kind of enforcement authority will be invoked. That number should be zero.”
Speaker Mike Johnson (Getty Images)
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Appearing on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Johnson argued that President Biden has the authority to act at the border without the need for legislation.
“Right now, as Congress is having this negotiation, this debate, this debate, the president has executive power and he can stop it,” Johnson said. “He could literally close the border overnight.”
Several Republican senators have expressed opposition to the deal in recent days, but Johnson told “Meet the Press” that he had not been briefed by the Senate on the details of the bill.
“We have called individual senators and given them tips and suggested things that are happening on the floor, but we are not involved in those negotiations,” Johnson said.
Biden, meanwhile, says he needs lawmakers to give him more authority to act on border issues.
President Biden has said he needs more authority to act on border issues. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
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According to ABC News, the president told reporters last week that “we’ve done everything we can,” adding that it’s up to lawmakers to reach an agreement and that if the border becomes congested and restricted, the border could be “closed.” ” he added. Authority to do so.
“Give me Border Patrol, give me the people, give me someone to judge it, give me someone who can stop this and make it work,” Biden said.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
