'They should unite': Donald Trump calls on Republicans to close ranks and stop blocking the House agenda

President Donald Trump urged House Republicans on Thursday to set aside their internal differences and unite behind the party’s legislative agenda, after a dispute over the SAVE America Act virtually paralyzed legislative activity in the House this week. “House Republicans should unify, and stop voting down ‘Rules’ or, threatening to do so. Giving power to the Radical Left Dumocrats in the House to control what goes up for a Vote will make our outcomes worse, not better. No more grandstanding, please! They are the Dumocrats, and we can’t let them WIN!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

The Republican president’s call came shortly after meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been working to resolve the impasse. The dispute also led Trump to cancel a ceremony scheduled for Wednesday to sign a bipartisan housing bill, as he expressed frustration that Congress has not yet passed election security legislation.

Following the meeting, Johnson described his conversation with the president as productive and assured that both are aligned on the way forward. “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, and so we’ll be moving forward on all of that,” Johnson told reporters, without specifying whether he had reached an agreement with the conservative lawmakers who are blocking the SAVE America Act.

The standoff began after Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna and several conservative lawmakers announced they would vote against the procedural rules that allow bills to be brought to the House floor, unless the Senate first passes the SAVE America Act. The proposal would require citizens to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and identification when casting their ballots. The initiative remains stalled in the Senate due to Democratic opposition.

Far from being over, the truth is that the dispute within the House Republican Conference shows no immediate signs of being resolved. Shortly after the meeting between Johnson and Trump, Luna announced on X that she had introduced an amendment before the House Rules Committee to incorporate the SAVE America Act into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027. “This is how they’ll get my vote for a rule. But I’m just one of MANY,” Luna wrote.