House GOP faces internal struggles as tensions boil over Trump's agenda

Tensions within the House Republican conference reached a boiling point Wednesday as lawmakers clashed over the path forward for passing former President Trump’s legislative agenda. The frustration, which had been simmering for weeks, erupted during a closed-door meeting, highlighting deep divisions over spending cuts, taxation, and deficit reduction.

At the heart of the debate is the GOP’s plan to use budget reconciliation—a process that allows them to bypass Democratic opposition in the Senate—to pass key policy measures. However, with their razor-thin majority, House Republicans must maintain near-total unity, a challenge that has proven difficult given the ideological differences within the party.

One of the more heated moments came when Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a staunch Trump ally, voiced his frustration over leadership’s handling of the reconciliation process. “There is literally no time to waste,” one lawmaker said of Donalds’ remarks.

Donalds later told reporters that Republicans are “stuck in the mud,” blaming indecision and over-analysis for the delay. He pushed for a two-bill reconciliation strategy—a position that aligns him with many Senate Republicans but puts him at odds with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

The core issue dividing Republicans is the level of spending cuts required to move forward. Leadership initially proposed a budget resolution with a $500 billion tax cut floor, but hard-line conservatives, who are demanding cuts in the range of $2 trillion to $5 trillion, rejected the plan. This disagreement forced leadership to postpone a key committee vote on the budget, delaying Johnson’s ambitious timeline.

House Minority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) acknowledged the setback, saying the markup would not happen this week. Meanwhile, leadership is reportedly pushing for $1 trillion in spending cuts, hoping to bridge the divide.

Beyond the reconciliation fight, lawmakers also face a looming government funding deadline on March 14. When one member suggested a temporary funding extension to prevent a shutdown, the room reportedly fell silent—underscoring the difficulty Republicans face in reaching a consensus.

With time running out, frustrations are mounting. One GOP lawmaker summed up the mood bluntly: “Tensions are rising. S— or get off the pot. What are we doing?”

Despite the infighting, Johnson remains optimistic, telling Politico that he assured Donalds the party is “moving forward toward the final decision.” But as divisions persist, the question remains whether House Republicans can come together in time to pass Trump’s agenda—or if their internal struggles will derail their efforts entirely.