Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday as he attended a bipartisan briefing about the administration's request to Congress for additional funding for national security.
Biden went to the Situation Room ahead of the briefing and met with Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., a White House official said. The briefing, which was about the national security supplemental request sent to Congress, was led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young and White House Legislative Affairs Director Shuwanza Goff.
A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed the meeting.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier Thursday that Johnson had been invited to attend “a bipartisan briefing with leadership and relevant committee chairs and ranking members.”
It was Johnson's first White House meeting in his new role. Johnson was elected speaker Wednesday — three weeks after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the position.
Biden congratulated Johnson after his election, pledging that he would seek to work with him “in good faith.”
“Even though we have real disagreements about important issues, there should be mutual effort to find common ground wherever we can,” Biden said.
The White House recently submitted two new funding requests to Congress.
On Wednesday, the administration asked for $56 billion in additional domestic funding, including $23 billion for disaster relief, $16 billion for child care and $6 billion toward providing internet access to low-income households. The request also includes funding for national security and energy assistance, addressing the opioid epidemic and providing food assistance programs.
Last week, Biden requested nearly $106 billion in aid to Ukraine and Israel, alongside other national security issues.
