President Donald Trump made an important visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning.
During his meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and the House Republican Conference, discussions were held, yet the proposed bill’s future remained uncertain, as Republicans were only backing two votes amid ongoing policy negotiations.
“As a Republican, anyone who didn’t support it, I think I’m an idiot,” Trump expressed.
In the meeting, Trump voiced his frustration toward dissenting Republicans, suggesting they should consider a different approach. He particularly called on New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler to ensure that salt negotiations wouldn’t obstruct progress.
However, Lawler declined to raise Johnson’s generous proposal for state and local tax credit caps to $40,000.
Trump also reached out to the Finance Hawks, including Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massey, who stated he would not support the bill. Massey wasn’t the only one; several House Republicans indicated their stance on the bill remained unchanged.
“Anyone who didn’t support it as a Republican would think I’m an idiot,” Trump told reporters post-meeting. “It’s a great bill for America.”
At the same time, members of the Freedom Caucus, such as Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and Andy Harris of Maryland, were still unconvinced by the president.
“We are all here to move forward with the agenda the President has run,” Roy remarked. “I don’t think this bill is where it needs to be yet. We still need to extend Trump’s tax cuts, but we have to control spending… I feel Congress can do better.”
“I don’t think the president is fully convinced that the bill is appropriate,” Harris echoed. “The President has called for eliminating waste, fraud, and Medicaid abuse, yet we aren’t addressing those issues.”
Johnson faced challenges last week when he lost support for the vote, but he managed to advance discussions with fiscal conservatives after the bill was approved by the Budget Committee. At that point, Johnson modified the Medicaid work requirements start date to 2026 instead of 2029. Consequently, four Republicans, including Roy, opted to vote in favor of moving the bill forward.
During the meeting, Trump addressed Medicaid, emphasizing that they must focus on reducing fraud, waste, and abuse. “The only things we’re cutting off are waste, fraud, and abuse,” he insisted. “No changes to Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security.”
Despite some Republicans holding firm, Trump maintained a hopeful outlook for his proposed bill. “I think we’re in good condition,” he stated. “There was a great unity in that room.”
