Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., is urging President-elect Donald Trump to take charge of the GOP caucus ahead of a looming interim spending bill and potential government shutdown in Washington.
In an interview with Fox News, Kennedy emphasized that Trump is the only person who can control the Republican caucus, stating that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., needs Trump’s assistance to move things forward in D.C.
“There’s one person that can control the Republican caucus in the United States House of Representatives right now, and that’s Donald J. Trump,” Kennedy stated on “Fox & Friends.”
“Could that change? Sure, but Speaker Johnson cannot [control the caucus]. It’s clear he hasn’t been able to do so. It’s not his fault. I’m not sure anybody could, but he can’t get all the Republicans together in the House and, in order to pass the C.R., he’s got to do that without Democratic support.”
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Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., called on President-elect Donald Trump to step in and help House Speaker Mike Johnson rein in the GOP caucus and come up with a “skinny” continuing resolution. (Getty Images)
“I think President Trump could,” he continued. “And I hope he’ll consider coming to Washington.”
As of Thursday, the U.S. national debt stood at $36,189,345,826,140.62, with a projected $2 trillion deficit for 2025.
Kennedy urged Trump to collaborate with Speaker Johnson and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to create a new “skinny C.R. [continuing resolution]” that aligns better with conservative principles.
“Let’s face it, he’s the president now,” Kennedy noted, referring to Trump. “It’s not President Biden.”
“If the president wants to do something on the debt limit, we need to find out what it is and put it in the bill. Then the president’s going to have to help Mike sell it in the House… Speaker Johnson’s problem is that, on the Republican side, he’s got a bunch of free-range chickens. I’m not criticizing them, but they wander off and Mike can’t catch all of them by himself,” he explained.
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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, September 12, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Conservative opposition has led to a reassessment of the bill’s provisions and a search for a new path forward.
President-elect Trump’s choice to co-chair his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, voiced his disapproval of the bill and even called for lawmakers backing it to be removed from office.
Trump’s transition team released a joint statement from Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance expressing their opposition to the original deal.
Kennedy also expressed his concerns about the bill.
“It’s a multiple vehicle pile-up,” he remarked. “I knew as soon as I saw the bill there was going to be trouble. The thing was as big as a Costco.”
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