U.S. House Speaker Johnson tries to patch things up between Trump and Congress
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson met President Donald Trump on Thursday (June 25, 2026) in hopes of defusing a standoff with Congress over
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson met President Donald Trump on Thursday (June 25, 2026) in hopes of defusing a standoff with Congress over a stalled package of national voting restrictions that the president views as his top legislative priority. A day after a contentious closed-door meeting between Mr. Trump and Senate Republicans, hardline Trump allies led by U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna effectively shut down the House floor until the Senate passes a voter ID bill, known as the SAVE America Act, which the Senate has tried and failed to pass five times since March. The Republican President used a similar tactic on Wednesday (June 24, 2026) to pressure Senate Republicans by pulling out of a signing ceremony for a popular bipartisan housing bill. Republican leaders had hoped to showcase the bill as evidence they are addressing the high cost of living, the top issue for voters ahead of November’s midterm elections. Trump and Mr. Johnson were expected to discuss a legislative path forward for the SAVE America Act and rescheduling the signing ceremony for the housing bill. Johnson is the top Republican in the House. Johnson told reporters after the meeting that Congress would transmit the unsigned housing bill to the White House and move forward on other legislation, with Mr. Trump calling for an end to any further legislative roadblocks from Republican members.
“He wants to ensure that we stop any blockade in the House. Congress has work to do and that’s what we’re going to do,” Mr. Johnson said without mentioning the SAVE America Act. “We’re on exactly the same page,” Mr. Johnson said of Mr. Trump and himself. The White House did not immediately comment on the meeting. Debate over priorities before elections Hours after Senate Republicans met with Mr. Trump on Wednesday (June 24, 2026), the chamber left early for a two-week July 4 break without any action on the SAVE America Act, despite mounting pressure from hardliners on Senate Majority Leader John Thune and his Republican colleagues. “I will not be voting to re-open the floor until the Senate gets back to Washington,” Luna said in a social media post after their departure. With only a slim 218-212 Republican majority, Mr. Johnson can afford to lose no more than two votes on any measure facing unanimous opposition from Democrats. While Mr. Johnson’s raucous caucus has caused him problems, he does not face the same challenges that Mr. Thune does in the Senate, where rules effectively require bipartisan support of most legislation. November’s elections will determine whether Republicans retain their majorities in Congress. Mr. Trump’s 34% approval rating, according to Reuters/Ipsos, has weighed on fellow Republicans’ popularity.
The BriefWire