President Donald Trump ordered House Republicans to the White House Thursday and locked them in a room for five hours with orders to figure out their differences, according to a report.
“You guys sit here until you figure it out, and then come in the Oval Office,” Trump apparently told them, according to sources who spoke to the Daily Beast.
The full attendance list isn’t known, but is thought to have included Speaker Mike Johnson (LA), House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, Freedom Caucus hardliner Rep. Chip Roy (TX) and other members from swing districts that were won by Kamala Harris during the presidential election.
Though some claimed the five-hour session was productive, others called it a chaotic ordeal of shouting and arguing.
“I’ve had better discussions at eighth-grade healthcare class,” one attendee told the Beast. They described clashes with some members over plans for cuts that could herald “the biggest tax increase in history.”
The lawmaker described attendees “shouting over each other.”
Trump apparently came in and out of the meeting to see how the Republicans were progressing. The Beast reported he’d ordered them to come to agreement on how to push through campaign promises including dropping taxes on tips and border control.
They were also told to devise a record to run on in the 2026 midterms.
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“I just found some people there so unreasonable—they’re going to lead to the highest tax increase in history if they can’t figure out how to work with the speaker,” said one attendee.
Roy told the Beast that reports of heated disagreement at the session were “total garbage.”
“I can honestly say it was one of the best meetings that I’ve been in,” said McClain, the only insider the Beast spoke to who praised the meeting.
“The listening sessions were good, but now it’s clear today was clearly the day — let’s get it done.”
