Trump surprises Senate GOP by backing House budget proposal
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed surprise, stating, “Did not see that one coming.”
TroibNews 
Republicans in Congress have long sought input from President Donald Trump regarding the strategic disagreements that have arisen between the House and Senate over the passage of his legislative agenda. However, the recent developments were not what GOP senators anticipated.
Trump's public endorsement on Wednesday for a budget framework drafted by the House — along with the “one big, beautiful bill” it outlines — caught Senate Republicans off guard and left them uncertain about their next steps.
“As they say, did not see that one coming,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune remarked after a meeting with fellow GOP leaders. Trump, he noted, did not provide any advance notice about his Truth Social post supporting the House budget.
This announcement came less than 24 hours after Thune had prepared to move forward with the Senate’s two-bill approach, which was set for extensive debate and a series of votes expected to occupy the chamber for the remainder of the workweek.
In light of Trump's endorsement of the House plan, Senate Republicans are reconsidering their strategy. Following discussions with his leadership team and Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham on Wednesday morning, Thune indicated he still intended to move forward but also expressed a desire for “more clarity” from the White House regarding its stance.
That clarity may arrive later Wednesday afternoon when Vice President JD Vance attends the weekly Senate GOP policy lunch, where he is anticipated to communicate the White House’s position on the budget. He is likely to encounter pointed inquiries from frustrated and caught-off-guard senators who still prefer the two-track plan and are skeptical about the House's capability to approve its own budget.
“President Trump needs a fallback position,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, emphasizing the need for the Senate to maintain its course. “I’m not sure [the House budget could] pass the House or that it could pass the Senate.”
Adding to the frustration, Republican senators have remained in Washington for the abbreviated Presidents Day week, while the House is in recess, following a previously arranged schedule after GOP leaders successfully advanced their budget plan through committee last week.
One Republican senator, speaking anonymously to express candid thoughts, commented on Trump’s demand for both chambers to adopt the House plan: “I’d love to, but the House keeps taking weeks off instead of passing budgets.”
According to the Senate Republican leaders’ plan proposed on Tuesday, they intended to finalize their budget resolution either late Thursday or on Friday, following a “vote-a-rama” on numerous amendments. Now, however, they find themselves in a state of uncertainty.
When asked about the implications of Trump's endorsement for his budget, Graham stated to reporters: “We’re gonna hear from JD at lunch, and I’ll comment after that. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso commented that the Senate’s budget resolution “is still on schedule” for the time being, but he acknowledged that more discussions were anticipated throughout Wednesday.
This isn’t the first instance where Trump has surprised Senate Republicans since the November elections, serving as a consistent reminder that the president can disrupt the legislative agenda without warning.
For instance, shortly after Thune secured the majority leader position last year, Trump announced his intent to nominate then-Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, a move interpreted as an assertion of control over the GOP-led legislative branch. Though Gaetz later withdrew amid skepticism from Republicans, Trump and his allies have successfully pushed through several other controversial nominations, including those for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump has also urged Senate Republicans to remain open to recess appointments, which would allow him to bypass the Senate in placing some of his nominees. This suggestion has faced resistance from certain GOP members.
The persistent question of how to execute Trump’s expansive agenda has been a significant source of tension within the GOP hierarchy. Although Trump has expressed a preference for the House’s comprehensive bill, he has also indicated support for the Senate's exploration of an alternative two-bill method.
Senate Republicans have privately gauged Trump’s views, including during a recent dinner at Mar-a-Lago and at the Super Bowl, believing they had his approval to proceed. On multiple occasions, both publicly and privately, the president has stated his desire for whatever would yield results.
Mixed messages from within the administration have added to the confusion, with figures such as Vance, White House policy chief Stephen Miller, and budget chief Russ Vought advocating for the Senate’s two-bill strategy.
GOP senators assert that their plan would expedite the delivery of Trump’s critical campaign promise related to enhancing border security, feeling bolstered after Vought and Trump’s border czar Tom Homan made their case for increased border resources at a closed-door lunch earlier this month.
“In the near term, the president has asked for resources to secure the border. We know we have to rebuild our military, and those are priorities that are addressed in the targeted bill that we put together,” Thune stated on Wednesday.
However, many Senate Republicans remain skeptical about the House’s ability to advance its budget, particularly given Speaker Mike Johnson’s slim margins and the complex policy issues that must be resolved internally.
The House is preparing to present its blueprint next week, but it is still working to secure the support of a dozen or more holdouts — a challenging task for Johnson with his narrow two-vote majority.
While Trump’s Truth Social post brought immediate cheer to some within the House GOP, his comments during a Fox News interview that "Medicare, Medicaid — none of that stuff is going to be touched," aside from efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, introduced further complications. The House budget anticipates significant cuts to Medicaid.
What is evident is that Trump seems poised to take a more active role in advancing his agenda than he has in previous months.
“My guess is, knowing him, he's doing everything he can to goose both houses,” Sen. John Kennedy suggested, “because time is short.”
Meredith Lee Hill, Lisa Kashinsky, and Joe Gould contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Trump's public endorsement on Wednesday for a budget framework drafted by the House — along with the “one big, beautiful bill” it outlines — caught Senate Republicans off guard and left them uncertain about their next steps.
“As they say, did not see that one coming,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune remarked after a meeting with fellow GOP leaders. Trump, he noted, did not provide any advance notice about his Truth Social post supporting the House budget.
This announcement came less than 24 hours after Thune had prepared to move forward with the Senate’s two-bill approach, which was set for extensive debate and a series of votes expected to occupy the chamber for the remainder of the workweek.
In light of Trump's endorsement of the House plan, Senate Republicans are reconsidering their strategy. Following discussions with his leadership team and Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham on Wednesday morning, Thune indicated he still intended to move forward but also expressed a desire for “more clarity” from the White House regarding its stance.
That clarity may arrive later Wednesday afternoon when Vice President JD Vance attends the weekly Senate GOP policy lunch, where he is anticipated to communicate the White House’s position on the budget. He is likely to encounter pointed inquiries from frustrated and caught-off-guard senators who still prefer the two-track plan and are skeptical about the House's capability to approve its own budget.
“President Trump needs a fallback position,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, emphasizing the need for the Senate to maintain its course. “I’m not sure [the House budget could] pass the House or that it could pass the Senate.”
Adding to the frustration, Republican senators have remained in Washington for the abbreviated Presidents Day week, while the House is in recess, following a previously arranged schedule after GOP leaders successfully advanced their budget plan through committee last week.
One Republican senator, speaking anonymously to express candid thoughts, commented on Trump’s demand for both chambers to adopt the House plan: “I’d love to, but the House keeps taking weeks off instead of passing budgets.”
According to the Senate Republican leaders’ plan proposed on Tuesday, they intended to finalize their budget resolution either late Thursday or on Friday, following a “vote-a-rama” on numerous amendments. Now, however, they find themselves in a state of uncertainty.
When asked about the implications of Trump's endorsement for his budget, Graham stated to reporters: “We’re gonna hear from JD at lunch, and I’ll comment after that. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso commented that the Senate’s budget resolution “is still on schedule” for the time being, but he acknowledged that more discussions were anticipated throughout Wednesday.
This isn’t the first instance where Trump has surprised Senate Republicans since the November elections, serving as a consistent reminder that the president can disrupt the legislative agenda without warning.
For instance, shortly after Thune secured the majority leader position last year, Trump announced his intent to nominate then-Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, a move interpreted as an assertion of control over the GOP-led legislative branch. Though Gaetz later withdrew amid skepticism from Republicans, Trump and his allies have successfully pushed through several other controversial nominations, including those for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump has also urged Senate Republicans to remain open to recess appointments, which would allow him to bypass the Senate in placing some of his nominees. This suggestion has faced resistance from certain GOP members.
The persistent question of how to execute Trump’s expansive agenda has been a significant source of tension within the GOP hierarchy. Although Trump has expressed a preference for the House’s comprehensive bill, he has also indicated support for the Senate's exploration of an alternative two-bill method.
Senate Republicans have privately gauged Trump’s views, including during a recent dinner at Mar-a-Lago and at the Super Bowl, believing they had his approval to proceed. On multiple occasions, both publicly and privately, the president has stated his desire for whatever would yield results.
Mixed messages from within the administration have added to the confusion, with figures such as Vance, White House policy chief Stephen Miller, and budget chief Russ Vought advocating for the Senate’s two-bill strategy.
GOP senators assert that their plan would expedite the delivery of Trump’s critical campaign promise related to enhancing border security, feeling bolstered after Vought and Trump’s border czar Tom Homan made their case for increased border resources at a closed-door lunch earlier this month.
“In the near term, the president has asked for resources to secure the border. We know we have to rebuild our military, and those are priorities that are addressed in the targeted bill that we put together,” Thune stated on Wednesday.
However, many Senate Republicans remain skeptical about the House’s ability to advance its budget, particularly given Speaker Mike Johnson’s slim margins and the complex policy issues that must be resolved internally.
The House is preparing to present its blueprint next week, but it is still working to secure the support of a dozen or more holdouts — a challenging task for Johnson with his narrow two-vote majority.
While Trump’s Truth Social post brought immediate cheer to some within the House GOP, his comments during a Fox News interview that "Medicare, Medicaid — none of that stuff is going to be touched," aside from efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, introduced further complications. The House budget anticipates significant cuts to Medicaid.
What is evident is that Trump seems poised to take a more active role in advancing his agenda than he has in previous months.
“My guess is, knowing him, he's doing everything he can to goose both houses,” Sen. John Kennedy suggested, “because time is short.”
Meredith Lee Hill, Lisa Kashinsky, and Joe Gould contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
