(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) President-elect Donald Trump plans to rein in Republican dissenters with a Mar-a-Lago summit Friday through Sunday ahead of his inauguration.
Trump-endorsed House Speaker Mike Johnson was narrowly reelected to a second term Friday after two GOP holdouts changed their votes.
Trump reportedly worked with Johnson to determine which groups of House Republicans would be invited to meet with him at his Florida estate following Friday’s debacle, three sources involved in the planning told NBC News.
President-elect Trump has invited multiple groups of House Republicans to join him at Mar-a-Lago next weekend, sources involved in the planning tell @NBCNews. https://t.co/gQjqDJOgWA
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 5, 2025
House Freedom Caucus members, lawmakers representing states affected by the state and local tax deduction cap and chairs and key committees will reportedly meet with Trump over the weekend, according to the outlet.
Members of the Freedom Caucus released a letter indicating that they held their nose in voting for Johnson, citing their “steadfast support of President Trump.”
Three GOP congressmen—Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Keith Self of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina—initially voted against Johnson, who Trump said has his “Complete & Total Endorsement.”
Trump added in his Dec. 30 Truth Social post a warning to Republicans not to “blow” their upcoming opportunity to govern with the GOP in control of all three branches of government.
Self and Norman changed their minds minutes after casting their first votes. Both lawmakers revealed that Trump called them on the phone with a convincing rebuttal to their initial opposition.
Speaker Mike Johnson narrowly squeaks out a victory win for the House Speaker vote this afternoon #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/OMFlINKgSb
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) January 3, 2025
Norman said Trump and Johnson promised to “fight for us” and “fight for everybody,” according to The Hill. Self said his talks with the president-elect were “lively.”
On Monday, Congress is scheduled to certify Trump’s second term—just as a massive snowstorm hits the U.S. Capitol.
White House and US Capitol in the snow at 640am https://t.co/Ufz7838bkQ pic.twitter.com/mEfuxfYEAo
— Steve Chenevey FOX5 (@stevechenevey) January 6, 2025
Johnson urged lawmakers against leaving Washington, D.C. over the weekend, telling NBC News, “We got a big snowstorm coming to D.C., and we encourage all of our colleagues do not leave town, stay here, because, as you know, the Electoral Count Act requires this on Jan. 6 at 1 p.m., so whether we’re in a blizzard or not, we’re going to be in that chamber making sure this is done.”
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and the American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
