(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden has turned down meeting requests from House Speaker Mike Johnson to address the ongoing chaos at the southern border, Politico reported on Wednesday.
The speaker’s office has sent “multiple” meeting requests to the scandal-plagued White House, but they have encountered strong resistance from the Biden team, according to an insider cited by the outlet.
BREAKING – DEAD ON ARRIVAL: Speaker Mike Johnson kills Senate Foreign Aid Bill, says, It “does nothing to secure our own border,” says on Valentine’s Day, it’s time for Washington to start showing some love to the American people. WATCH pic.twitter.com/HgxECvk5ub
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) February 14, 2024
The Biden blockade comes as the House leads a standoff over a border bill. Instead of discussing a new package, Biden is urging House Republicans to back the infamous border deal endorsed by the Democratic-controlled Senate.
“What is there to negotiate? Really, truly, what is the one-on-one negotiation about when he’s been presented with exactly what he’s asked for?” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. “He’s negotiating with himself.”
Biden has declined multiple requests from the Speaker’s office for a one-on-one. Why not meet with Speaker Johnson?
KJP: We’ve given the Speaker exactly what he’s asked for. What is there to negotiate? The speaker is “confused.” He doesn’t “understand what it is that his job… pic.twitter.com/cXUZ6E1Swg
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 14, 2024
Undeterred by the resistance, Johnson said he will “continue to insist” on a meeting with Biden.
“If the speaker of the House can’t meet with the president of the United States, that’s a problem,” Johnson said, as reported by the outlet. “I don’t know why they’re uncomfortable having the president sit across the table from me, but I will go in good faith.”
The last face-to-face meeting between the two took place on Jan. 17, with a phone conversation occurring on Jan. 10. Subsequently, Johnson called for a meeting on Jan. 22, but had no success.
The battle between Johnson and Biden began after the Senate tied its border deal to the funding of Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. After facing criticism from Republicans for not strongly addressing the southern border, the Senate passed a bill exclusively focusing on foreign funding.
I am grateful to @SenSchumer, @LeaderMcConnell, and every US Senator who has supported continued assistance to Ukraine as we fight for freedom, democracy, and the values we all hold dear.
For us in Ukraine, continued US assistance helps to save human lives from Russian terror.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 13, 2024
The $95 billion bill allocated $60.1 billion to Ukraine, $14.1 billion to Israel and $10 billion to humanitarian aid in the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip, the Senate announced Monday.
Speaker Johnson criticized the measure for neglecting border policies, saying the “foreign aid bill is silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” Johnson added, “The mandate of national security supplemental legislation was to secure America’s own border before sending additional foreign aid around the world.”
My statement on Senate’s failure to address the most critical aspect of national security supplemental legislation: pic.twitter.com/ENjJ0WzKsK
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 13, 2024
