Trump demands for legislative agenda squeeze House GOP
DORAL, Fla. — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is staring out at a minefield as he looks to pass a sprawling tax and immigration package that pleases all corners of the ideologically diverse Republican Party, a thorny task made even tougher after President Trump laid out a lofty set of demands for the legislation.
During the House GOP retreat at Trump National Doral on Monday, the president said he wants the bill to complete construction of the border wall, appropriate funding for “a record increase” in border security personnel and retention bonuses for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, invest in deportation flights and aircraft, and eliminate taxes on tips, social security and overtime.
The wish list represents many of Trump’s top campaign promises. But in laying out those priorities this week, Trump is putting Johnson in a bind as he looks to satisfy the White House, appease hard-line conservatives and keep moderates on board, all while navigating the House GOP’s slim majority.
Johnson, for his part, is exuding confidence, telling The Hill’s Emily Brooks during a wide-ranging fireside chat at the retreat that "all this is possible."
“We’re working out the sequencing of the plays, as you’ve all heard me make football metaphors many times," he said. "The analogy is that we’ve been working on a playbook for almost a year.”
“We got all the ingredients together, we drew up the plays, and now we’re working on the sequencing,” he added. “And how all of that works together is very important. We are the team that is deeply concerned about the nation’s debt and the deficit. And I’m a fiscal conservative, a lifelong fiscal hawk myself, and so that is something I think we have a responsibility to guard against, while at the same time accomplishing all these things that are needed for the people. We gotta fix everything and we will.”
Still, Republicans say it will be tough to execute on the agenda while meeting members’ expectations for the legislation.
“It's ultimately a math problem,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), chair of the influential Main Street Caucus.........
© The Hill
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