Trump has urged lawmakers to reject# any compromise immigration deal.

On that battle and the other stories shaping the# week, we turn now to the analysis of Capehart## and Johnson.

That is Jonathan Capehart,# associate editor for The Washington Post,## and Eliana Johnson, editor in chief of The# Washington Free Beacon.

David Brooks is away.

Good to see you both.

Thanks for being here.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Hi, Amna.

said in a letter to his colleagues# today that security and Ukraine funding is dead# on arrival in the House.

That's fo rmer President Trump was ramping up his# pressure on Republicans to kill the deal.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney had# this to say about that yesterday.

SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): The fact that# he would communicate to Republican## senators and congresspeople that he# doesn't want us to solve the border## problem because he wants to blame# Biden for it is really appalling.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jonathan, the deal# was really on life support.

Did## Mr. Trump's pressure just put it into the ground?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: I don't know.

I# on e who's speaking out against what the# former president is asking t speaking out in favor of a bill that under# normal circumstances they wouldn't get.

We have to keep in mind, we're talking about# a bill that no one has seen, that -- at least## meaning none of us at this table.

It has not been# released.

We're just talking about rumors of might be in the bill, which is -- I think the word# rumor is what Speaker Johnson used in that letter.

It is my hope that Senator Romney, Senator# Graham, Senator Cramer from North Dakota## and the other six stay cohesive, stay at the# bargaining table and come up with something,## because the idea that you won't# -- that you shouldn't come up with## something because it will give President# Biden some sort of win is These are the same people who have been# complaining about open borders and invasions## and fentanyl killing Americans coming over# the border and why won't the president,## President Biden, do anything.

They're trying# to do it, and yet they're standing in AMNA NAWAZ: To that point, President Biden put out# a statement in response to all of this late today.

Here's what he said in part.

He called a deal# a win for America.

He said: ev eryone," rather, "who's demanding tougher border# control, this is the way to do it.

If you're## serious about the border crisis," he writes,# "pass a bipartisan bill, and I will sign it."

So, Eliana, are Republicans really serious# about addressing the border crisis?

ELIANA JOHNSON: That statement from President# Biden was -- is clearly going to be his message.

I am skeptical that this bill is going to# pass, but immigration and the border have## been a problem for President Biden, and you can# see him now prepared to say, we came wanting to## sign a deal with the toughest border provisions# in a long time, and Republicans rejected that.

The question is whether Biden# will actually be able to get## out from under all of the bad press# and his poor handling of the border## up until now.

How closely are people# actually paying attention to this?

There are a couple of other interesting# dynamics here.

Mitch McConnell,## the Senate minority leader, this deal is# Republican support for Ukraine funding## in exchange for Democrats agreeing# to tougher border provisions.

Mitch## McConnell has been the loudest proponent# on the Republican side of Ukraine funding.

He's going to be in favor of this deal.

It is very# much a legacy issue for him.

So it looks like very## much it's going to be President Trump, who wants# to campaign on the bad situation at the border,## versus Mitch McConnell in the Senate wanting# this legacy issue, more funding for Ukraine.

AMNA NAWAZ: Would Mitch McConnell or Speaker## Johnson ever defy Presiden ELIANA JOHNSON: Mitch McConnell# would certainly defy President Trump.

(LAUGHTER) Others are more skeptical, and I think# they are making more cynical political## calculations in an election year.# And the House already passed a much## tougher border deal.

And what Speaker# Johnson came out and said is that,## if the Senate deal is not near -- almost as# tough as the House deal, t And it's not going to be as# tough as that House deal.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: And we should also# is in near-constant communication with Donald# Trump.

And No matter what the Senate comes up with, the# House is not going to pass it, not at all.

And## certainly they're not going to come up with a bill# that could even garner a single Democratic vote.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, this is all, of course,# unfolding with the presidential campaign## in the background and Mr. Trump now# being the like I want to get both of your takes on what the# biggest takeaways were com early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.# And also we saw his strengths now, right Jonathan?

We kind of know where his core# constituencies and his loyal base are.

But you also saw today this key judgment# from a jury awarding E. Jean Carroll $83## million for -- that he has to pay for defaming# her.

Is any of this a vulnerability for him?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Not in the primary,# not during the primary campaign, because,## as we have seen, his poll numbers started going## up among the primary electorate the# moment he got th The problem comes in, if he does indeed become# the nominee, now he's in the general election## campaign.

And there are -- certainly, Democrats# aren't going to vote for him, but there are a lot## of Republicans who are troubled by these felony# indictments who I think would be troubled by the## fact that a former president of the United# States today has been ordered to pay $83.3## million to a woman he defamed in a lawsuit that# had already determined he sexually assaulted her.

I'm old enough to remember a Republican Party# where that guy would have been run out of town,## let alone don't even think about running# for president.

And yet he's in the hunt.

But what the -- Nikki Haley's second-place# finish in New Hampshire showed, though, is that## independent voters went to her.

And independent# voters in the general election are going to## be a big deal, and they don't like -- I don't# think they like what Trump is up to.

And then,## if you add on top of it -- and this will be# the last thing I say -- the abortion issue... AMNA NAWAZ: Yes.

AMNA NAWAZ: Which we know is the central# part of the Biden/Harris reelection c Eliana, how do you look at this?

ELIANA JOHNSON: Look, I don't think# this verdi they don't already know about President# Trump.

They know he's crass.

They know## he's undisciplined.

They know he can be offensive.

But I do think that Nikki Haley's campaign# against him in Iowa and New re vealed some of his weaknesses.

She won# overwhelmingly independent voters and## college-educated voters.

It's pretty clear,# I think, that Donald Trump may not need those## voters to win the primaries.

He's got the# base of the Republican Party behind him.

He will, however, need those# voters to win a general election,## it's more than likely.

And I do think this is# where the lawsuit is relevant.

The lawsui hurt him among women and independents, as can a# prolonged primary campaign against Nikki Haley,## where he's more likely the longer# this goes on to say some things.

He made a comment on the night of their New# Hampshire primary about Nikki Haley's dress,## that it was -- oh, she tried to# look nice, but the dress was ugly,## or something along those lines.

Those are sorts# of comment it's alienating to them, and he does# need those people in a general election.

AMNA NAWAZ: You think that's going# to hurt him in the long run?

So... ELIANA JOHNSON: I think it threatens to.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, how do you right now?

Her campaign has said that# they have raised over a million since the New Hampshire primary.

Is this# about just President Trump?

Is she looking for a vice# presidential pick here?

What's the play?

ELIANA JOHNSON: I think we have got to see what# she does over the next week to see, i this just until after South Carolina, or is she# in this for the long haul?

I a vice presidential nomination?

Or is it about# trying to reshape the party in 2028 and beyond?

I'm not quite sure we know# that from her -- from her yet.

AMNA NAWAZ: We should also note, President Biden# had an objectively good week were more strong economic numbers.

He got a big# endorsement from the United Auto Workers union.

He's really shifting into much more# of a general election campaign mode.## You have got key advisers like Jen# O'Malley Dillon and Mike Donilon,## architects of his 2020 win, now shifting# to the campaign from Are they in a more general election mode now?# And what does that mean for the campaign?

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Yes, they're# in a general election mode now,## because it looks like Donald Trump will# be t It is, I think, a fight that they are looking# -- very much looking forward to have.

As we saw,## I think it was New Hampshire primary night, when# the Biden campaign put out a statement slamming## Donald Trump, but also slamming Nikki Haley,# saying it doesn't matter.

She -- basically,## she's Trump-lite.

She supports all the# things that he supports.

So bring it on,## no matter which one comes out there.

But I do think that the campaign s thing to do, and it's the necessary thing# to do, because we know, with Donald Trump,## he's constantly in campaign mode, whether# he's sitting in the courtroom or standing## on the sidewalk giving a press conference or# actually on a stage in Iowa or New Hampshire.

And I think the sooner that the Biden campaign# gets out there, the more that it will be on.

I## just think everyone needs to buckle up, because# between now and Election Day is going to be rough.

AMNA NAWAZ: Buckle up is# the message from Jonathan.

Eliana, how do you look at th Biden is most vulnerable when# it comes to Republican attacks?

ELIANA JOHNSON: Well, I think the# Biden campaign has been in general# election mode for quite a long time.# th e threats to democracy.

He's given a# couple of them in the past six months.## And I think that's very much going to# be a general election theme from him.

I think Biden is most vulnerable on# immigration and the economy.

An skeptical.

I said a couple of minutes ago# that I'm not sure voters will pick up on this nuance of Republicans rejecting the offer# from Democrats.

I think they probably won't,## and Biden will be blamed for the# situation at the southern border.

And I think he's vulnerable on the economy.

The# numbers are good, but I don't think vote their situation is good.

And foreign policy,# there's a lot going on in the world right now,## but it tends not to be an issue that# people actually cast a ballot on.

So I do think economy, immigration,## those are going to be the things that# determin AMNA NAWAZ: Eliana Johnson, Jonathan Capehart,# good to see you both.

Thank you so much.

ELIANA JOHNSON: Thank you.

JONATHAN CAPEHART: Thanks, Amna.