In a dramatic move to secure conservative support, House Speaker Mike Johnson took the extraordinary step of putting his leadership role on the line during negotiations over the reconciliation bill. During a private meeting on Wednesday evening, Johnson made a bold pledge to conservative holdouts, essentially giving them permission to remove him from his position if he fails to deliver on promised fiscal measures.
Following Johnson’s commitment to implement $1.5 trillion in spending cuts – significantly more than the Senate’s proposed $4 billion – the legislation passed by a narrow margin of 216-214 on Thursday. The speaker’s assurance was documented in a memo, which emphasized his dedication to linking deficit increases with federal spending reductions and delivering fiscally responsible outcomes.
🚨 JUST IN: SPEAKER JOHNSON says he has the votes to move forward with Trump-backed spending bill – MAJOR cuts.
"At LEAST $1.5 trillion in savings for the American people… many of us are going to aim much higher." pic.twitter.com/T6uiTmYUuH
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 10, 2025
This high-stakes promise echoes recent congressional history, as Johnson himself assumed the speakership following former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s removal through a “motion to vacate”</a> initiated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz. Johnson has already faced similar threats during his tenure.
The tension within the Republican Party was highlighted by Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who addressed the underlying trust issues. “To be blunt, there are members on Capitol Hill who don’t trust members of the Senate and frankly, don’t trust members of leadership in order to deliver on a lot of the promises that have been made over the years up here on Capitol Hill,” he said. Donalds further explained that the primary conflict among House Republicans centered not on spending cuts but rather on addressing mandatory spending patterns. “We are spending far too much money,” he stated.
President Trump congratulates the House for passing the budget resolution and paving the way for a budget reconciliation bill which is likely to include $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, an extension and expansion of President Trump's tax cuts, and a massive deregulation agenda. pic.twitter.com/J43mV05QNv
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 10, 2025
With this crucial vote now behind them, House and Senate Republicans will begin the lengthy process of drafting legislative text, which is expected to stretch over several weeks or months. Additional votes are anticipated in late spring or summer, following the two-week Easter recess.
Johnson expressed confidence in the path forward, telling reporters, “We have bills drafted. Most of them have been scored already. Now we go through the process of marking it up and finding the equilibrium points with everybody so that all those interests are met.”
