House Republicans are pushing back against former President Donald Trump’s call for a government shutdown unless a proof-of-citizenship voting bill is enacted. This public divergence from the GOP presidential nominee comes ahead of the November election, with most Republicans opposed to the idea.
Earlier this week, a group of Republicans rejected a bill that combined a six-month continuing resolution (CR) with Trump’s desired voting legislation, a move that hindered Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) strategy to fund the government. Now, Johnson is preparing to move forward with a clean three-month stopgap, defying Trump’s demands. Many Republicans are expected to support this alternative plan, despite the former president’s objections. While Republicans widely support the voting bill, they argue that forcing a government shutdown over the issue would harm their party’s prospects.
“Everybody wants to go home and campaign, and there are some, particularly those in really tough races, who want to go home even more,” said Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), the policy chair of the House GOP conference. Palmer also raised concerns about the potential national security risks of a shutdown. “A government shutdown would embolden our enemies and further undermine our reliability and respect among our allies. So, I don’t think a shutdown is good for anybody,” he added.
For weeks, Trump has been urging House Republicans to tie government funding to a conservative voting bill, and Johnson initially followed through on this request. However, last week, Trump escalated his demand, urging Republicans to shut down the government if they couldn’t secure “absolute assurances on Election Security.” He reiterated this stance just hours before the House voted down the six-month stopgap-plus-SAVE Act package.
“If Republicans don’t get the SAVE Act, and every ounce of it, they should not agree to a Continuing Resolution in any way, shape, or form,” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. He added, “BE SMART, REPUBLICANS, YOU’VE BEEN PUSHED AROUND LONG ENOUGH BY THE DEMOCRATS. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN. Remember, this is Biden/Harris’ fault, not yours!”
Trump’s demands, however, are in direct contrast with the broader GOP strategy. Many Republicans saw the CR-plus-SAVE Act as an initial offer, intended to address Trump’s past false claims of a stolen election and his continued skepticism of the voting system. They knew, however, that it would not be the final measure to prevent a shutdown. Even if the House had passed the bill, the Democratic-controlled Senate and the White House would not have accepted it, especially since noncitizen voting is already illegal, and there are concerns about making voting more difficult for eligible voters.
Republicans are aware that they would likely bear the blame for any shutdown. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) referred to a potential shutdown at this time as “politically beyond stupid,” and predicted that the GOP would be held responsible if the government shut down.
House Republicans echo this sentiment. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), chair of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House, stated, “I don’t know that a shutdown really helps us right now, and what we’re trying to accomplish — keep the majority, win the White House.”
Similarly, Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), a subcommittee chair on the House Appropriations Committee, emphasized the importance of keeping the government open during the election cycle. “Closing down the government during this process is not a good idea for anyone involved, certainly for our government, certainly for momentum going into an election,” Joyce said. “I think it’s important that we stay open and get through this election and then make decisions in November and December.”
Despite Trump’s insistence, the House GOP’s leadership is moving toward a plan B: a clean, short-term stopgap that will keep the government open until December. Johnson, who has maintained a strong relationship with Trump, now faces the delicate task of balancing the former president’s expectations with the practical need to avoid a shutdown. Johnson’s role as Speaker may depend on Trump’s continued support, especially if Republicans hold the House after the election.
Johnson has spoken with Trump about the government funding fight, according to a source familiar with the matter. The Speaker met with Trump in Washington on Thursday, marking their second meeting in a week. Johnson declined to go into detail about their conversation, but noted that Trump “understands the situation” Republicans face.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with President Trump, and I won’t divulge all of them, but he understands the situation that we’re in, and he is doggedly determined to ensure that election security remains a top priority,” Johnson said. He continued, “And I am as well, which is why I put the SAVE Act with the CR. We want to make sure that everybody understands, it is illegal to vote if you’re a noncitizen, and we’re gonna press that at every opportunity.”
Johnson’s office has continued to promote the SAVE Act vote, highlighting that 206 House Democrats opposed the bill that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. On Friday, Johnson posted a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post that read: “IF YOU VOTE ILLEGALLY, YOU’RE GOING TO JAIL.”
When asked about Trump’s push for a shutdown and the prospects of a funding lapse, Johnson sought to downplay concerns. In an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, just before the House rejected the six-month CR vote, Johnson said, “no one needs to worry” about a shutdown. Later that day, after the vote failed, Johnson told Fox News, “I don’t think it’s going to come to a shutdown. I believe we can get this job done.”
While many Republicans oppose a shutdown, some fiscal conservatives believe Johnson should use it as leverage to pressure Democrats into accepting the SAVE Act. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) expressed frustration with Johnson’s resistance to using a shutdown as a bargaining tool. “Trump is saying, have a shutdown. And just hadn’t happened. We got to fight at some point,” Norman said, adding that he did not “buy” the argument that a shutdown would endanger vulnerable House Republicans.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a major proponent of the SAVE Act and member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, also believes that Republicans should not shy away from a shutdown. “Everybody knows that I’m certainly comfortable with fighting and having a shutdown to force the question on whether or not we’re gonna fund government at the right levels, which means cutting spending, and make sure that we ensure that only citizens vote,” Roy said. “I’d be happy to do that. But you got to have the votes to go do it.”
Those involved in the details of government funding strongly disagree. “We can’t have a shutdown,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), another appropriator. “A shutdown would be catastrophic for our national defense, for our economy.”