Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is considering trying to negotiate directly with the White House on border policy changes that have so far been confined to a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators.
A source familiar confirmed that Johnson said on a Thursday call with first-term GOP lawmakers that he was weighing talking to the White House directly on border matters, as Punchbowl News first reported Friday.
Such a move would mark a change in strategy for the Speaker, as talks drag on in the Senate over border policy changes, which GOP lawmakers have said is a condition of approving additional aid to Ukraine.
But for now, the talks remain confined to the Senate.
Even if Johnson wants to take up talks with the White House, it is not clear that channel would be open. The White House threw cold water on the idea of negotiating with Johnson on the border.