What Mike Johnson is privately asking Trump to do after his speech scrambled GOP plans
WASHINGTON, DC: House Speaker Mike Johnson is privately urging President Donald Trump to endorse a clean government funding plan after Trump's election speech reportedly upended Republican legislative strategy.
The behind-the-scenes push comes as House GOP leaders try to avoid another funding fight while facing pressure to advance both spending legislation and a budget resolution in the coming days.
Johnson seeks President Trump's backing
Trump's controversial elections speech Thursday night "scrambled" Republicans' agenda in Congress, according to a Politico report Friday, July 17, forcing party leaders to rethink plans surrounding the SAVE America Act, the president's voting restrictions proposal.
Instead of attaching portions of that measure to government funding legislation, Republican leaders have been trying to move forward with a "clean" reconciliation bill, according to the report.
Mike Johnson has been leading that effort while advancing a plan that "would fund the government well ahead of the normal Sept 30 deadline in a Congress that's already seen two record-breaking funding lapses."
According to the report, Johnson has also been working behind closed doors to secure Trump's public support for that approach.
"According to three people granted anonymity to discuss private conversations," the outlet reported, "Johnson has also been privately trying to convince Trump to endorse the plan in hopes of stoking another shutdown fight far in advance of the midterms, which Republicans believe would work to their party's advantage at the polls."
House GOP faces funding pressure on multiple legislative fronts
Johnson's lobbying effort comes as House Republican leaders confront growing pressure on multiple legislative fronts.
Politico reported that "House GOP leaders are trying to put that budget resolution on the floor next week, too," setting up what it described as "some serious whip operations for leaders trying to get buy-in from all corners of their conference on both measures."
That means Johnson must not only keep Republicans united behind the funding proposal but also build support for the broader budget framework while navigating Trump's influence over the conference, the report stated.
John Thune delivers Johnson another cold reality check
The speaker's challenges were underscored Thursday when Senate Majority Leader John Thune publicly pushed back on Johnson's expectations for the Senate.
The outlet reported that "it won't be easy," adding that Thune delivered Johnson "another cold reality check" after learning the speaker had told reporters the Senate would adopt the House budget framework before lawmakers leave for the August recess.
When asked about Johnson's expectation, Thune replied, "That'd be news to me."
The exchange highlighted the hurdles Johnson faces, according to the report, as he seeks to line up support from both Trump and congressional Republicans while trying to keep a clean funding strategy on track after the president's speech reshaped the party's legislative plans.
