Trump tests loyalty of Republican allies with wild opening salvoes

Johnson tried to reassure them, saying he would try to give lawmakers ample notice so that they can sell policies in their district — a pledge he may struggle to keep.

“It’s a given Trump’s going to beat us into submission,” said one House Republican.

Not two weeks into the new Trump era, the president-elect is testing the loyalty of Republicans in Congress, leaving even his close allies nervous about the unpredictability and upheaval to come.

The soon-to-be president, who vowed to shake up Washington, this week tapped several highly unconventional candidates for his Cabinet, pressured Senate leadership candidates to back his plans for recess appointments, and is pushing lawmakers to back policy positions that violate traditional Republican orthodoxy, such as tariffs.

Early signs point to a House and Senate largely unwilling to buck his will, at least publicly. “He’s got a mission statement, his mission and his goals and objectives, whatever that is, we need to embrace it, all of it, every single word,” said Rep. Troy E. Nehls (R-Texas), a Trump loyalist.

“If Donald Trump says, ‘jump three feet high and scratch your head,’” he added, “we all jump three feet high and scratch your heads. That’s it.”

To keep allies in line, Trump is expected to tap his vice president, JD Vance, a current senator, to serve as his eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, according to one person familiar with the idea, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues.

He told House Republicans in the basement ballroom of a Capitol Hill hotel Wednesday that winning all battleground states and the popular vote showed that he has a mandate — and he wants all Republicans firmly behind him.

It will be “much easier with him in the White House,” one senior Republican lawmaker said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly. “He’ll bring down the hammer.”

While Republicans have a powerful trifecta in Washington, the House and Senate have narrow majorities that will test and possibly complicate how Trump’s agenda shapes up. But most, from Republican leaders to the MAGA movement’s most faithful, believe such disagreements will be easier to avoid simply by calling up Trump and persuading him first to side with their faction’s demands.

Two leadership races Wednesday offered early signs of Trump’s chokehold on the Hill. Members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus had been planning a challenge to Johnson’s candidacy for speaker. But Trump told the raucous conference that Johnson had his full support, likely helping Johnson earn unanimous support from his colleagues.

“He supports Mike Johnson, I support Mike Johnson, Mike Johnson is going to be the next speaker,” said Rep. Andrew Ogles (R-Tennessee), a member of the Freedom Caucus.

In the Senate, all three candidates running for Senate majority leader worked to embrace Trump and his demands, including backing a Senate procedure to clear Trump’s nominees without Senate confirmation and to stop providing Ukraine money in their fight against Russia, if that’s what Trump wanted.

“What I heard in there from everybody was we need to support the president-elect’s agenda,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) said. “All the leadership candidates where all, ‘I’ll get it done faster than the other guy.’”

Another major test will be Trump’s intent to nominate former congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), who was under investigation by the Justice Department and the House Ethics Committee, to be attorney general. Just after Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) was voted to lead Senate Republicans, Trump announced Gaetz as his pick for attorney general.

Many of his Cabinet picks have little experience in the agencies they’ve been tapped to lead, but all have expressed deep loyalty to the president, including Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary and former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), a former Democrat who has expressed sympathies for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the potential director of national intelligence.

Trump’s nominees will need 51 votes to be confirmed. “We got 53 members,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) on Wednesday.

So far, there has been little dissent among Senate Republicans, even for Trump’s most unconventional picks. The Senate often gives deference to a president for his nominations, and with a 53-seat majority, most senators and aides surveyed believe that Trump will have the support he needs to staff his Cabinet. While there has been some consternation about Gaetz, even some of Gaetz’s foes said they are willing to take a look.

“I completely trust President Trump’s decision-making on this one. But he’s got to come to Congress and sell himself,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a close Trump ally who has clashed with Gaetz, said on CNN.

Some Republicans also seem willing to abandon traditional Republican positions. On Wednesday, Trump, with Elon Musk at his side, ticked through parts of his agenda, including implementing tariffs, something that conservatives have long opposed.

Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pennsylvania) suggested that the antitax group Club for Growth might have been wrong for years about tariffs and that he suspects Republicans will back a Trump tariff plan. “A lot of that was wrong, very wrong,” Meuser said.

Trump’s grassroots and online support can help keep people on his side. It was activated in force earlier this week in the Senate Republican leader race, urging them to vote for Sen. Rick Scott (Florida), a MAGA loyalist. Senators got hundreds of calls demanding they vote for Scott.

“I think it’s always difficult to dissent from your leader of your party,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). “With such an active Trump base, which is also our base, probably even a little more.”

Far-right members also feel emboldened by Trump’s return to the White House and argue that moderates have no excuse not to support Trump’s MAGA agenda now.

“I’m looking at some of our colleagues,” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida) said, specifically naming moderate Reps. David G. Valadao (R-California) and Michael Lawler (R-New York). “They all have ruby red conservative districts now.”