In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) asserted that former President Donald Trump is not dictating the actions of congressional Republicans when it comes to their opposition to the Senate border deal. Johnson made it clear that he is the one calling the shots for the House, emphasizing that this has been his stance for a longer period of time than Trump's involvement.

Amidst accusations from Democrats that Republicans are trying to derail the border deal to deny President Biden a legislative victory and boost Trump's prospects for the 2024 election, Trump has openly criticized the agreement, referring to it as a "horrible open borders betrayal of America" in private conversations with GOP lawmakers.

Johnson, who endorsed Trump last year along with the top House Republican leaders, maintained that the responsibility of the House is to address the border crisis and emphasized the need to stem the flow of illegal migrants. He pointed out that, while President Biden has executive authority to close the border overnight, he refuses to exercise that power.

The text of the border deal was expected to be released on Sunday, but was not available at the time of Johnson's interview. However, details obtained by The Post revealed that the deal would establish an authority to automatically reject entry for migrants once daily crossings exceed 5,000. Prominent Republican figures such as Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have criticized the deal for tolerating too much illegal crossing into the US.

On another front, Johnson announced on Saturday that the House will vote on a standalone $17.6 billion package for Israel without spending cuts attached, counterbalancing the broader supplemental package which included provisions for the border and additional support for Ukraine. The move was met with criticism from the White House, accusing House Republicans of playing a political game and denying humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.

In a recent development, the House Homeland Security Committee has approved two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, accusing him of dereliction of duty and lying to Congress. The Biden administration has dismissed the move as partisan, with Mayorkas' team stating that he has complied with the law and highlighting that previous administrations did not completely secure the border either. Johnson, a staunch defender of Trump during his impeachment trials, supported the impeachment efforts against Mayorkas.

Furthermore, Johnson expressed his criticisms of the Biden administration's response to Iranian proxies following the deaths of three US soldiers in Jordan. He called for action to decimate the Iran Central Bank and increase pressure on their oil exports, rather than appeasement. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan defended Biden's actions, referring to critics as "armchair quarterbacks," and expressing confidence in the course that the administration is taking.

As the debate over the border deal intensifies, congressional Republicans remain divided, with Johnson asserting his authority in shaping Republican actions in the House. The upcoming release of the deal's text is expected to further fuel the discussions surrounding border security and immigration policy.