U.S. Congressman Chip Roy speaking with the media at a press conference after a town hall with Governor Ron DeSantis hosted by Fox News at the Sheraton West Des Moines in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Image: Gage Skidmore / Creative Commons)
Trump told Republicans to ignore their inner guide and vote for his budget bill at a National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Dinner on Tuesday evening.
“They have to do this. We have to get there,” he told GOP members. “We had a great meeting today but just in case there are a couple of Republicans out there, you just got to get there. Close your eyes and get there. It’s a phenomenal bill. Stop grandstanding. Just stop grandstanding!”
Critics complain Trump holds most of his Republican supporters in a cult-like embrace, but the president's sway appears to be wavering over the issue of national deficit and the trillions of dollars debt this budget bill would require.
READ MORE: Republican messaging expert stunned at Trump calling Americans 'weak' and 'stupid'
Republicans traditionally oppose many Democratic presidential incentives if they can be argued as increasing the national debt or hurting taxpayers. It was one of the chief reasons the GOP cited in its struggle to halt former President Joe Biden’s push for student loan relief for college students throughout his term. This was despite massive college debt acting as a brick wall to many young college graduates buying a home or starting a family.
Historically, Republicans have tended to use the raising of the debt ceiling as a tool to stymie Democratic initiatives, but rarely wield it against GOP presidents like Trump. While the party sometimes passed budget bills without everything Trump wanted, the debt limit rarely presented itself as a wedge from GOP members, and Trump added almost $7.8 trillion in debt during his first term.
Today, however, GOP fiscal hawks are blanching at the prospect of a budget that boosts the nation’s debt ratio by nearly 50 percentage points. Further complicating that effort are Trump’s own trade wars, his massive government layoffs of government employees (many of whom are veterans) and online brawling between Trump advisors.
“I’m tired of the fake math in the swamp,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a Freedom Caucus leader, who proclaimed himself “a no” after meeting with Trump today.
READ MORE: 'I rebuke you in the name of Jesus': GOP rep explodes at Johnson in closed-door meeting
Watch the video of Trump's remarks below, or by clicking this link.