Newsman: Former President Donald Trump rallied House and Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill Thursday. Donald Trump held two separate meetings with GOP lawmakers in Washington. Trump met with the full House Republican conference Thursday, then GOP senators. Trump used the opportunity to push for GOP members to unify behind him ahead of this year’s presidential election.
There is tremendous unity in the Republican Party,” Trump said after meeting with GOP senators at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“We have great unity, we have great common sense,” he said. “A lot of very smart people in this room” he said. Donald Trump did not take any questions.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “President Trump brought an extraordinary amount of energy, and excitement and enthusiasm this morning” While with other House leaders after their more than hour-long meeting.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Conference, called the meeting a “very successful” political gathering.
“We are 100% unified behind his candidacy and are ready to get to work on behalf of the American people,” Stefanik told reporters, calling Trump’s appearance a “unifying event.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has openly criticized former Trump for years but endorsed him for president in March, called the meeting “really positive.”
“He and I got a chance to talk a little bit, we shook hands a few times,” McConnell told reporters. “He got a lot of standing ovations. It was an entirely positive meeting.”
Trump began the day with a closed-door meeting with House Republicans where he pledged to support members so they can “win big” in November, praised Speaker Mike Johnson and discussed a wide range of issues including inflation and abortion.
The former president Trump ended his visit with Senate Republicans with a brief press availability where he listed goals for a GOP-led government and described the current state of the country in bleak and dysfunctional terms.
Multiple Republicans told reporters that Trump talked about ramping up pressure on China, and touted his own policy as president imposing tariffs on China.
The meeting, which took place near the U.S. Capitol, his first visit back since he left office .Trump skipped President Biden’s inauguration.
Inrecent months, more Senate Republicans, including those initially resistant to weigh in, have said they’re supporting Trump’s re-election run. A few others, like Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., have refused to back him or continue to avoid discussing their support for the former president.
Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters there were no discussions about Trump’s potential pick for vice president, and that Trump told members he “feels a lot of states are in play” with plans to spend money in New Jersey, New York, Minnesota and Virginia.
Rep. Marc Molinaro, running for reelection in a competitive district in New York, told reporters on the abortion discussion, “his point was obviously to speak from your heart.
Norman said the message from Trump on abortion was “let the states decide.” He told lawmakers he’s not going to get into the details on specific restrictions and they shouldn’t either, but if they weigh in on specific restrictions in terms of 8, 10, 12 week ban, “use your heart.”
