Inside the Joe Biden-Mike Johnson relationship: Greetings, briefings and clashes over foreign aid

Inside White House Situation Room, new House Speaker Mike Johnson me clear to Biden ministration officials his demands when it came to foreign assistance: Aid to Israel for its war against Hamas would have to be separated out from support for Ukraine , defending itself from a Russian invasion now more than 20 months long.

Immediately, Johnson faced pushback, according to people with knowledge of Oct. 26 briefing. Democratic lawmakers in attendance, as well as national security viser Jake Sullivan and White House budget director Shalanda Young spelled out to Johnson ir deep opposition to splitting up aid, said people, who were granted anonymity to discuss a private meeting.

Even some House Republicans in room signaled y disagreed with new speaker's stance.

“He was listening to a degree, but he was also bringing forth many of MAGA Republican viewpoints and not from a perspective of bringing Congress toger to move us forward in a better direction,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., referring to former President Donald Trump's “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan. Meeks attended White House briefing.

That confrontation, just 24 hours after Johnson catapulted into speakership, showed Republican leer's willingness to challenge well-established White House expectations and even defy members of his own party, both in public and in private. It also started to telegraph to ministration and congressional Democrats how he might govern.

Johnson's early moves have confounded ministration officials, particularly his strategy on aid to Israel. Inside White House, aides took particular notice of Johnson’s decision to insist that emergency foreign assistance be coupled with offsetting cuts — a step rarely taken, if ever. On top on that, in a sharply partisan move, he chose to pay for aid using IRS resources intended to rein in tax cheats.

That legislation passed House this past week on a 226-196 vote, with 12 Democrats joining Republicans. Senior White House aides h furiously worked phones in final hours leing up to vote, particularly with Jewish Democrats, outlining not only President Joe Biden's policy objections to bill but also political need to limit Democratic defections, according to people familiar with ministration's message.

Johnson was unapologetic.

“If Democrats in Senate or House or anyone else … want to argue that hiring more IRS agents is more important than standing with Israel in this moment, I’m rey to have that debate,” Johnson, R-La., said at Capitol in his first formal news conference as speaker. “I did not attach that for political purposes, OK?”

Still, White House officials continue to approach him with a sense of curiosity, despite ir early skepticism. y even found some reasons for encouragement, primarily Johnson's surprisingly warm remarks about need to aid Ukraine , considering his past votes opposing funding.

Though Democrats believe Johnson is a more useful political foil than his predecessor as speaker, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., White House itself has been careful to not overtly antagonize Johnson, deliberately deferring most of campaign-style attacks on his background and positions to party’s political committees.

During drawn-out speakership spectacle, White House avoided any public involvement. Once Johnson was formally elected, ministration officials, like much of Washington and political world, scrambled to learn about Johnson, whose interactions with White House during Biden presidency have been essentially nonexistent.

That means White House's get-to-know-you process is continuing.

Jeff Zients, White House chief of staff, and presidential counselor Steve Ricchetti spoke cordially with Johnson as Biden met with him for first time. When White House invited Johnson to Situation Room, officials me sure he knew he could bring a national security aide into classified session — a prerogative that he gets as speaker of House.

Biden “wants to work in good faith with whoever y ... chose to be speaker -- it happens to be Speaker Johnson -- and he wants to deliver for American people,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said shortly after Johnson’s elevation to speakership. “That is something that president has said himself over last couple of weeks.”

A low-profile conservative who was first elected to Congress in 2016 , Johnson, 51, h come into post with scant political leership experience and was never known for bipartisan bona fides. That could not be a starker contrast with Biden, 80, a deceslong veteran of Washington who puts a high value on personal relationships and bipartisanship.

As Johnson began his improbable rise to top of House Republican ranks, White House also privately took note of his hard-right positions and his similarities, at least in substance, to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, House Judiciary Committee chairman and one of ministration’s chief antagonists who is leing an impeachment inquiry into Biden.

Johnson h taken a proactive role in former President Donald Trump’s efforts to remain in office despite losing to Democrat Biden in 2020, rallying or lawmakers to sign a letter of support for an unsuccessful case by several states to throw out some election results. Before entering politics, Johnson was a lawyer specializing in constitutional issues.

When Johnson outlined his rationale for his speaker candidacy last month, he argued that “ president is clearly incapable of leing and Senate is unwilling.” Even though Johnson described his meeting with Biden as cordial, speaker said in a Fox News interview that he noticed a cognitive decline.

Biden has spoken little publicly about Johnson himself, but he has continued to use House GOP's speakership mess as he makes his case to remain in office and not put Trump back in White House.

“Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy this democracy,” Biden said at a fundraiser in Minneapolis this past week. “And while MAGA Republicans in House have been fighting among mselves, struggling to elect a speaker, trying to shut down government, sowing seeds of destruction at every turn, Kamala and I are always going to defend, protect, and fight for that democracy," he said, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Johnson's allies say his direct demeanor will serve him well as a counterpoint to ministration.

“He’s a straight shooter, so he’s not going to play games with m. y’ll know what he’s thinking,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who knows Johnson well and is one of handful of GOP lawmakers who have worked closely with Biden White House. “Mike will have his eyes wide open. He’s not naïve.”

Or Republicans have said Johnson’s biggest strength is that he has yet to burn bridges with anyone on eir side of aisle. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., said same qualities that helped Johnson get elected speaker are what will help him negotiate with president.

“It will be hard for me because I’m stubborn, you understand and I have rough edges," Higgins said of Johnson's contrasting and smoor style. “But Mike is such a, a kind and compassionate and polite gentleman.”