Reports indicate that President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with House Speaker Mike Johnson following last week’s government funding debacle, leaving the future of their relationship uncertain. According to Politico’s Rachael Bade, several of Trump’s insiders expressed anger over Johnson’s failure to deliver the debt ceiling hike Trump sought, making it more difficult for Republicans to pass the President’s agenda next year.
Trump had specifically pressed Johnson to address the debt ceiling before his return to the Oval Office, but the deal Johnson struck with Democrats behind closed doors did not meet Trump’s expectations. After the deal collapsed, Trump’s team felt embarrassed by the failure, especially after Johnson assured them the votes would be there to push it through. When 38 Republicans voted against the bill, Trump was left feeling as though he had been made to look foolish.
Further complicating matters, Johnson hesitated to commit to a government shutdown as Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance had suggested. They hoped to leverage the shutdown to force Democrats into swallowing a debt ceiling deal, but Johnson backed away from the strategy.
Although Trump has not explicitly called for Johnson’s ouster, insiders speculate that he may choose to remain silent while Johnson struggles to rally support in the House. This latest setback follows Johnson’s controversial secret negotiations for a 1,547-page continuing resolution (CR) filled with pork for Democrats and major pay raises for Congress members. Trump, along with other critics like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, voiced strong opposition to the CR, but it passed despite objections from 38 Republicans.
As Speaker Johnson faces growing discontent within his party, Trump’s continued support or silence could determine his political future.
