Even before Speaker Mike Johnson left the House floor on Friday after winning re-election, Freedom Caucus members put him on notice. "Speaker Johnson must prove he will not fail to enact President Trump's bold agenda," 11 caucus members wrote, per Politico. They said that agenda is the reason they voted for Johnson. "We did this despite our sincere reservations regarding the speaker's track record over the past 15 months," says the letter, which included a list of demands. It's a taste of what's to come for Johnson, per the New York Times, who will be working with the slimmest of majorities.
Johnson told the Washington Post he had made assurances, if not promises, to the two Republicans who changed their votes to put him over the top. He said he told Reps. Ralph Norman and Keith Self that he'll run the House more collaboratively, with "different processes and procedures this time around because it's unified government" now that their party controls Congress and the White House. "We have to succeed," Johnson said. "We have no margin for error."
The Freedom Caucus letter called on Johnson to push through legislation to make the border secure, lower inflation, and put an end to stock trading by members of Congress. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries made no demands but included warnings in introducing Johnson on Friday, per CNN. He said Democrats will try to find common ground with Republicans but also will "push back against far right extremism whenever necessary." Jeffries listed Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits, and nutritional assistance for children and families as programs that must not be cut "in order to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires and wealthy corporations." (More Mike Johnson stories.)
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