Rep. Elise Stefanik declared victory over Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday, saying she had secured the inclusion of a key provision she wanted attached to the annual Pentagon policy bill after a remarkable public spat with the speaker a day earlier.
Others involved credited President Donald Trump for playing mediator after the New York Republican threatened to “tank” the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act as part of her public targeting of Johnson. The three spoke by phone Tuesday night about her threats, according to two people granted anonymity to describe the private call.
Stefanik said in a Wednesday norning X post that “after a productive discussion” with Trump and Johnson last night, “the provision requiring Congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence investigations into presidential and federal candidates seeking office will be included” as part of an agreement to pass the Pentagon bill.
A floor vote on the package is expected next week. A spokesperson for Johnson declined to weigh in on the private conversations.
Stefanik, a member of Johnson’s leadership team, accused the speaker Tuesday of personally excluding her measure from the defense bill and lying about it. Johnson said those allegations were “false” and countered that bipartisan committee leaders had not agreed to add it.
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