Democrats may SAVE Mike Johnson if he is ousted by his far-right flank for supporting a Ukraine aid bill as the speaker makes case to Donald Trump that sending assistance would help him if he wins in 2024

Leader Hakeem Jeffries suggested his Democrats may save Speaker Mike Johnson from being ousted if he puts the Senate-passed national security package on the House floor. 

If Johnson puts the foreign aid bill on the floor, 'I believe there are a reasonable number of Democrats who would not want to see the speaker fall as a result of doing the right thing. Observation, not a declaration,' Jeffries, N.Y., said. 

A motion to vacate has loomed over Johnson's head since Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene launched the bid to oust him nearly three weeks ago. The Georgia Republican is a staunch opponent to Ukraine aid and has already threatened to try to boot Johnson if he brings it to the floor.

With Republicans' razor-thin majority, Johnson can only afford to lose three Republicans and keep his job.  

Johnson, meanwhile, has reached out a hand to former President Donald Trump, Greene's close ally, and will now appear with him at a joint press conference on 'election integrity.' 

Johnson made the pitch on Thursday that sending assistance to Ukraine would help Trump. 

'The supply and weapons systems that are needed to hold him back actually puts President Trump in a good position [if elected],' Johnson said in an interview with CBN News. 'I'm confident he could broker the peace there.'  

Jeffries added Johnson would only get the helping hand if he put the Senate-passed, $95 billion package with money to Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific and Gaza and no border policy riders on the floor. 

The Senate-passed bill included both humanitarian and military aid: $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel in its war against Hamas and $4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific.

Johnson suggested he would not be putting the Senate bill on the House floor, adding military-only aid is 'more palatable' to members. 

'No American taxpayer should be tasked with propping up the pension system of the nation of Ukraine.' 

Any foreign aid bill would likely have to come to the House floor under suspension of the rules, meaning it would need a two-thirds majority vote to pass. 

The bill would lose a number of Democrats would oppose further aid to Israel without humanitarian conditions. It would lose a number of Republicans who outright oppose Ukraine aid - potentially jeopardizing its chances of passing. 

But Jeffries insisted the bill would pass even under suspension - he would put up enough Democratic votes. 

'I believe that there are a sufficient number of votes to make sure that the national security bill makes it over the legislative finish line,' Jeffries said. 

On Wednesday Greene met with Johnson for 70 minutes to hash out their differences, but they remained at an impasse. 

Greene said she warned Johnson that 'he's going to be personally responsible for finding that continued murder of people in a foreign country that is not a NATO ally of ours, and that the American people do not support.' 

She and likeminded conservatives have warned the speaker not to bring foreign aid funding for Ukraine to the floor for a vote, saying the U.S. border crisis must first be addressed before doling out dough to wars abroad. 

However, pleas from the White House, Ukrainian President Zelensky, Democrats and moderate Republicans to vote on aid for the embattled country are also putting the pressure on Johnson.