President Donald Trump stepped in to mediate a compromise between Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and House Speaker Mike Johnson over a contentious provision in the must-pass defense bill.
Trump stepped in to mediate the conversation after Stefanik warned she would block the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as part of her public pressure campaign against Johnson, according to a Politico report published Wednesday morning.
🚨 Elise Stefanik GOES OFF on Mike Johnson following his response to a question from @AndiNapier this morning about Stefanik’s accusation that the Speaker is ‘protecting the deep state.’ https://t.co/24H2cPmxab pic.twitter.com/ggbJY7XtgS
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 2, 2025
Stefanik declared victory Wednesday in her clash with Johnson, saying she secured the provision she had been demanding in the Pentagon policy bill following their public intra-party dispute. (RELATED: Elise Stefanik Accuses Mike Johnson Of Protecting Deep State In Fight Over Intel Provision)
In a post on X, she wrote, “After a productive discussion I had last night with President Trump and Speaker Johnson, the provision requiring Congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence investigations into presidential and federal candidates seeking office will be included in the IAA/NDAA bill on the floor.”
Great news!
After a productive discussion I had last night with President Trump and Speaker Johnson, the provision requiring Congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence investigations into presidential and federal candidates seeking office will be included in…
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 3, 2025
Stefanik, who serves on Johnson’s leadership team, lashed out at the speaker Tuesday, accusing him on social media of aligning with Democrats to “protect the deep state.” The New York Republican has been outspoken in her frustration that a provision she has been championing — aimed at curbing what she says is intelligence community overreach — could be stripped from the year-end defense bill due to Democratic objections.
In a Tuesday post on X Stefanik wrote, “This is his preferred tactic to tell Members when he gets caught torpedoing the Republican agenda. It wasn’t on your radar? This is the ONLY provision in the bill to root out the deep state rot. This is not regular order. Regular order is a Members’ provision that passed out of committee should be heard on the floor and not struck down by a Democrat minority member in a closed door meeting.”
Just more lies from the Speaker.
And in true to form, the Speaker texted me yesterday claiming he “knew nothing about it.” Yeah right. This is his preferred tactic to tell Members when he gets caught torpedoing the Republican agenda.
It wasn’t on your radar? This is the ONLY… https://t.co/AKxC6CU8ma
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) December 2, 2025
Johnson called Stefanik’s allegations “false” and countered that bipartisan committee leaders had not agreed to add it. A floor vote on the annual Pentagon policy bill is expected in mid-December, according to Politico. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Elise Stefanik Slams Democrat New York Gov For Affordability Crisis)
The Daily Caller reached out to Johnson and Stefanik for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.