She's Part of House GOP Leadership. Here’s Her Reaction to Trump's Tweets.
Rep. Lisa McClain plays a significant role in crafting Republican messaging during the Trump era, and she is enthusiastic about advocating for his “out-of-the-box thinking.”
TroibNews 
Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team dedicated much of Thursday to discussions at the White House, seeking President Donald Trump’s assistance in brokering a compromise between conservative and moderate factions within the party to advance their legislative goals.
Key to these conversations was House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, the newest member of House leadership. Traditionally, this role has involved shaping the GOP’s message, a challenging task with Trump in the Oval Office—or active on social media at all hours. However, McClain, representing Michigan, remains unfazed by the obstacles.
“Donald Trump is very unconventional,” she remarked in an interview with Playbook Deep Dive. “I think what he does a lot of times is he throws a lot of stuff, mud, at the wall, so to speak, to try and come up with different ideas, out-of-the-box thinking to get us out of the mess that we’re in. We need to embrace that because that’s who we elected.”
McClain expressed optimism about reaching a consensus on a reconciliation plan within her conference, despite House Republicans not yet finalizing their position.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity by Deep Dive Producer Kara Tabor. You can listen to the full Playbook Deep Dive podcast interview here:
Listen to this episode of Playbook Deep Dive on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Within the House Republican Conference, there are conflicting viewpoints: conservatives advocating for up to $2.5 trillion in cuts and moderates concerned about the potential impact on their ability to maintain control of the House. The aim of the meeting was to see if Trump could act as a mediator to bridge the divide. “Do you have a deal?” a reporter inquired.
“I would say yes. The reason why I am a titch hesitant is we just have to verify a couple factors,” McClain replied. “If those factors turn out to be true, then I would say yes, we have a deal.” Johnson mentioned to reporters that Republicans would continue working through the weekend to finalize a budget framework.
McClain clarified that in order to initiate reconciliation, House Republicans must begin with a budget resolution that enables this process. “It’s got to pass,” she emphasized, noting the connection between the two processes. She acknowledged the general consensus among republicans that “government spends too much money,” but also recognized the distinct priorities of individual members that could pose challenges in negotiations.
“It’s a delicate balance,” she said, especially with diverse perspectives present. “We hashed a lot of things out, and everyone gave a little bit.” McClain expressed confidence in Trump’s leadership during negotiations: “He knows what he wants, can articulate what he wants, and he’s willing to sit there and put the time in to negotiate.”
An image of the meeting’s dynamics emerged: “It’s very much like a business meeting. I was 35 years in business. Donald Trump is a businessman. He sees the world through an economic lens.” McClain described Trump as someone who commands attention, articulating his goals clearly and allowing for flexible discussions on how to achieve them.
She acknowledged Trump’s ability to push members towards consensus, stating, “Yeah, I would say he pushed people in a very positive fashion. And you can either use the carrot or you can use the stick.” However, she emphasized that his approach leans more towards encouragement than intimidation.
When discussing her new role as conference chair, McClain emphasized that she intends to remain genuine and transparent: “That will never be me. I’m just not good at that… Just tell the truth.”
She than reflected on the challenge of managing messaging amidst Trump’s unpredictability. “It’s interesting, let’s just say that you go from Joe Biden who, you know, goes to sleep at 5 and never does any press to Donald Trump that has his own Twitter account.”
Amidst the discussion of house dynamics, she observed that disagreements exist regarding the future of the House majority, particularly between those favoring more aggressive budget cuts and those advocating a subtler approach to retaining power. “I don’t buy that,” she said of the narrative suggesting the House is at risk, attributing her optimism to Trump’s influential candidacy in the past.
She further articulated her belief in traditional American values resonating with voters: “I don’t think we’re going to lose in the midterms if we can deliver on the promises.”
Regarding budget cuts, McClain equated the process to dieting, noting varying opinions on the pace and scale of reductions. “There are some people that want to lose 25 pounds in the first week,” she explained.
She insisted on the need for genuine cuts rather than budget gimmicks, advocating for a thorough review of government programs for waste, fraud, and abuse: “That’s the same thing we’re doing. So it’s not just the cuts. It’s taking a look at making sure we’re getting value for our dollar.”
The conversation also touched on Elon Musk’s controversial actions and their implications for Republicans. McClain defended Musk’s approach, arguing that it aligns with the party's principles of fiscal responsibility: “If you frame the issue in that way, how is that going to hurt the frontliners? I don’t see how that does.”
She dismissed concerns about backlash from potential funding cuts to essential programs, advising to “not fear monger until we get there.”
On the potential risks of reducing government spending, she juxtaposed the current Republican agenda with the Democrats’ approach under the Biden administration. “The White House hired and employed a bunch of Green New Deal people. They just did the opposite: where we’re trying to slash and reduce the size and scope of government, the Democrats want to increase the size and scope of government.”
In light of the ongoing budget discussions, McClain expressed confidence in the Republican position: “If the Democrats want a government shutdown, that’s on them.”
In conclusion, she asserted the party's commitment to responsibility and fiscal prudence while navigating the complex political landscape.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
Key to these conversations was House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, the newest member of House leadership. Traditionally, this role has involved shaping the GOP’s message, a challenging task with Trump in the Oval Office—or active on social media at all hours. However, McClain, representing Michigan, remains unfazed by the obstacles.
“Donald Trump is very unconventional,” she remarked in an interview with Playbook Deep Dive. “I think what he does a lot of times is he throws a lot of stuff, mud, at the wall, so to speak, to try and come up with different ideas, out-of-the-box thinking to get us out of the mess that we’re in. We need to embrace that because that’s who we elected.”
McClain expressed optimism about reaching a consensus on a reconciliation plan within her conference, despite House Republicans not yet finalizing their position.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity by Deep Dive Producer Kara Tabor. You can listen to the full Playbook Deep Dive podcast interview here:
Listen to this episode of Playbook Deep Dive on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Within the House Republican Conference, there are conflicting viewpoints: conservatives advocating for up to $2.5 trillion in cuts and moderates concerned about the potential impact on their ability to maintain control of the House. The aim of the meeting was to see if Trump could act as a mediator to bridge the divide. “Do you have a deal?” a reporter inquired.
“I would say yes. The reason why I am a titch hesitant is we just have to verify a couple factors,” McClain replied. “If those factors turn out to be true, then I would say yes, we have a deal.” Johnson mentioned to reporters that Republicans would continue working through the weekend to finalize a budget framework.
McClain clarified that in order to initiate reconciliation, House Republicans must begin with a budget resolution that enables this process. “It’s got to pass,” she emphasized, noting the connection between the two processes. She acknowledged the general consensus among republicans that “government spends too much money,” but also recognized the distinct priorities of individual members that could pose challenges in negotiations.
“It’s a delicate balance,” she said, especially with diverse perspectives present. “We hashed a lot of things out, and everyone gave a little bit.” McClain expressed confidence in Trump’s leadership during negotiations: “He knows what he wants, can articulate what he wants, and he’s willing to sit there and put the time in to negotiate.”
An image of the meeting’s dynamics emerged: “It’s very much like a business meeting. I was 35 years in business. Donald Trump is a businessman. He sees the world through an economic lens.” McClain described Trump as someone who commands attention, articulating his goals clearly and allowing for flexible discussions on how to achieve them.
She acknowledged Trump’s ability to push members towards consensus, stating, “Yeah, I would say he pushed people in a very positive fashion. And you can either use the carrot or you can use the stick.” However, she emphasized that his approach leans more towards encouragement than intimidation.
When discussing her new role as conference chair, McClain emphasized that she intends to remain genuine and transparent: “That will never be me. I’m just not good at that… Just tell the truth.”
She than reflected on the challenge of managing messaging amidst Trump’s unpredictability. “It’s interesting, let’s just say that you go from Joe Biden who, you know, goes to sleep at 5 and never does any press to Donald Trump that has his own Twitter account.”
Amidst the discussion of house dynamics, she observed that disagreements exist regarding the future of the House majority, particularly between those favoring more aggressive budget cuts and those advocating a subtler approach to retaining power. “I don’t buy that,” she said of the narrative suggesting the House is at risk, attributing her optimism to Trump’s influential candidacy in the past.
She further articulated her belief in traditional American values resonating with voters: “I don’t think we’re going to lose in the midterms if we can deliver on the promises.”
Regarding budget cuts, McClain equated the process to dieting, noting varying opinions on the pace and scale of reductions. “There are some people that want to lose 25 pounds in the first week,” she explained.
She insisted on the need for genuine cuts rather than budget gimmicks, advocating for a thorough review of government programs for waste, fraud, and abuse: “That’s the same thing we’re doing. So it’s not just the cuts. It’s taking a look at making sure we’re getting value for our dollar.”
The conversation also touched on Elon Musk’s controversial actions and their implications for Republicans. McClain defended Musk’s approach, arguing that it aligns with the party's principles of fiscal responsibility: “If you frame the issue in that way, how is that going to hurt the frontliners? I don’t see how that does.”
She dismissed concerns about backlash from potential funding cuts to essential programs, advising to “not fear monger until we get there.”
On the potential risks of reducing government spending, she juxtaposed the current Republican agenda with the Democrats’ approach under the Biden administration. “The White House hired and employed a bunch of Green New Deal people. They just did the opposite: where we’re trying to slash and reduce the size and scope of government, the Democrats want to increase the size and scope of government.”
In light of the ongoing budget discussions, McClain expressed confidence in the Republican position: “If the Democrats want a government shutdown, that’s on them.”
In conclusion, she asserted the party's commitment to responsibility and fiscal prudence while navigating the complex political landscape.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
