House Speaker Mike Johnson unleashed a blistering attack on Senate Republicans Friday, dismissing their Department of Homeland Security funding proposal as a "gambit" that amounts to a "joke." The public eruption exposed a rare crack in GOP unity as the two chambers clashed over how to handle border security priorities.
Johnson's ire centered on Senate Majority Leader John Thune's two-step approach: fund DHS first, then tackle ICE separately. The speaker signaled he had a better plan: an eight-week continuing resolution for DHS that he believes he can push through the House without the Senate complications.
"I'm quite convinced that it can't be that every Senate Republican read the language of this bill," Johnson said, suggesting the Senate GOP caucus hadn't properly vetted Thune's approach. He also blamed Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for engineering the deal, though his frustration with the Republican-controlled Senate was unmistakable.
The breach widened when President Trump weighed in, siding firmly with Johnson. "You can't have a bill that's not going to fund ICE," Trump told Fox News, emphasizing that immigration enforcement funding was non-negotiable in his view. Trump already moved to secure TSA payroll funding through an executive order, demonstrating he was ready to act unilaterally if Congress stalled.
House Republicans Unified Behind Speaker
Johnson's position received backing from his own conference. House Conference Chair Lisa McClain told Axios that GOP members united behind the speaker's approach during a meeting where he addressed their concerns. "Everybody wants border security," McClain said, indicating the House Republican caucus saw merit in Johnson's strategy.
The speaker insisted he had cleared his plan with Trump moments before going public. "I spoke to the President a few moments ago," Johnson said. "He understands exactly what we're doing and why, and he supports it."
Remarkably, no Senate Republicans publicly objected to Johnson's dismissal of Thune's plan, even as the majority leader was spotted walking through an airport, where a GOP House member confronted him over the failed strategy.
The dispute marks a notable departure from Republican behavior during Trump's second term. Over the past year, House and Senate GOP members have largely set aside institutional and ideological differences to advance Trump's agenda, even when operating with razor-thin margins. This DHS fight, though public and contentious, may prove temporary: Congressional deals often collapse and resurface before final passage.
Both chambers are girding for what they expect to be a far tougher battle ahead: a second reconciliation bill that will require agreement on funding and budget offsets for ICE and Customs and Border Protection. If this week's DHS showdown is any indication, that fight could get messy.
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