Mike Johnson’s make-or-break moment: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In today’s edition, senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur looks at a make-or-break week for House Speaker Mike Johnson. Plus, on day 2 of Donald Trump's hush money trial, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down how the site of the proceedings, Manhattan, has become a voter gold mine for Democrats.

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Mike Johnson faces his most perilous moment yet as House speaker

By Sahil Kapur

House Speaker Mike Johnson faces the biggest threat to his gavel nearly six months into the job, with the walls closing in from both sides of his divided Republican Party on providing aid to U.S. allies.

After wavering for months and exhausting his timeouts, he’s finally calling the play: a trigger for separate votes on four bills — assistance for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and a hodgepodge of other national security priorities important to Republicans.

Each one will have a unique coalition, and that’s the point.

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In theory, Israel aid can pass with mostly Republicans, over progressive opposition. Ukraine aid — structured as a loan — can pass with mostly Democrats, over conservative opposition. The GOP opponents of assisting Ukraine can vote against it, and the GOP proponents of giving the country weapons to fend off Russian aggression finally get off Johnson’s back.

Meanwhile, Johnson’s public Republican opposition just doubled: Rep. Thomas Massie announced Tuesday that he would co-sponsor Rep. Marjorie Taylor