WASHINGTON – After gaining full control of Congress, Republicans are eager to demonstrate their ability to fulfill President Donald Trump’s campaign commitments.

On Friday night, GOP senators are scheduled for a private dinner at Mar-a-Lago, just after House Republicans spent a lengthy session at the White House to discuss strategies for moving Trump’s agenda forward. House Speaker Mike Johnson is also set to join the president at the Super Bowl on Sunday.

These discussions reflect the ongoing disagreements among congressional Republicans about how best to implement Trump’s campaign pledges related to immigration, energy production, defense, and taxation, highlighting the difficulties of governance with slim majorities in both the House and Senate.

House Republicans are finding it hard to agree on a preliminary bill that would outline spending and cuts. This bill is crucial as both chambers need to pass the same version to initiate the budget reconciliation process, facilitating future legislation through a simple majority in the Senate and circumventing the potential of a filibuster by Democrats.

The narrow majority held by House Republicans means that just one dissenting vote can halt progress. Even after a three-day retreat in Miami last week and promises to advance their framework this week, they remain divided on the specifics of their budget plan.

As time is of the essence for the Republican majority, Senate Budget Chair, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), announced on Wednesday that he intends to proceed with a unified plan addressing immigration, energy, and defense in one bill, while handling taxes separately. The House Republicans, however, believe that separating the tax bill risks its passage, as many members may not support it without corresponding border and energy policy reforms that encourage bipartisan compromise.

“The House has its own dynamics, so we’ve got to proceed according to what can be agreed upon there,” stated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La). “President Trump is very supportive of addressing all his key priorities in a relatively quick manner.”

Here’s an overview of the current status of Trump’s agenda on Capitol Hill.

Is Congress able to pass Trump’s agenda?

Following the 2024 elections, Republicans hold complete control in Washington, though such power typically lasts only two years, regardless of which party is in charge.

In the Senate, Republicans maintain a majority adequate for confirming Cabinet nominees but insufficient to overcome the 60-vote threshold necessary to avert a filibuster on most legislation.

In the House, the Republicans only hold a five-seat majority, one of the smallest margins in recent history. The situation is even tighter, as two House seats are vacant due to former members resigning, with another representative poised to leave soon. This leaves a potential 217-215 majority, meaning House Republicans must avoid losing any votes to pass legislation.

House leadership contends that to successfully pass Trump’s priorities, all must be consolidated into one significant bill, as Trump has characterized it, ensuring every Republican is on board.

This comprehensive bill would leverage a process known as “reconciliation,” enabling Congress to bypass the 60-vote Senate requirement that necessitates negotiations with Democrats. Former President Joe Biden similarly employed this tactic for his legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan. However, these reconciliation bills must relate specifically to budgetary matters.

The White House’s Wishlist

During the lengthy meeting between House Republicans and the White House on Thursday, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared that the president outlined his tax priorities for the legislative agenda.

These priorities include eliminating taxes on tips, Social Security benefits, and overtime pay, along with extending tax changes from his first term, modifying certain deductions mainly affecting high-tax states like New York and California, removing tax breaks for billionaire sports team owners, and addressing the “carried interest loophole.”

“This will represent the largest tax reduction in history for middle-class working Americans,” stated Leavitt. “The president is dedicated to collaborating with Congress to achieve this.”

Furthermore, Republicans are pushing for enhancements to border security technology, staffing, detention facilities, as well as dismantling parts of Biden’s climate legislation while advocating for increased domestic energy production, including oil and gas.

However, Trump has emphasized that he is less concerned about how his agenda is passed—just that it gets done. This has led to friction between the House and Senate due to differing methods of addressing the agenda.

Progress in the House to Date

Last month, House Republicans convened for three days at a Trump property in Miami to devise key budget figures that might facilitate passing a budget outline.

The primary obstacle remains the anticipated expenses of the proposed package: Trump’s tax plans and the extension of existing tax cuts could lead to trillions of dollars in costs. Some House Freedom Caucus members and conservative representatives are pushing for significant spending cuts to offset these expenses, posing challenges for moderates who may face backlash from their constituents over potential cuts.

“If you’re proposing tax reductions, spending cuts are essential,” noted Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a member of the Freedom Caucus engaged in discussions with leadership. “While I won’t get into specifics, it is crucial to ensure that we address the deficit.”

Johnson indicated on Friday that raising the debt ceiling would also be “likely” included in the finalized package. The federal government is approaching its debt ceiling this year, necessitating new legislation to raise it in order to cover previously approved expenditures and avert a default.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), chair of the Freedom Caucus, remarked last week that incorporating the debt ceiling increase in the reconciliation bill is vital: “We believe if Democrats are approached for the debt ceiling increase, it could lead to substantial financial concessions over the next decade.”

Senate Progressing While House Stalls

Senate leaders have stated they will allow time for the House to finalize its approach, but if the all-in-one bill fails, they will advance their dual-bill strategy. However, on Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the Senate Budget Committee Chairman, affirmed that the Senate must proceed with crafting a budget outline next week without waiting for the House.

“It’s time for the Senate to make progress,” Graham declared. “I respect the House’s efforts, but it’s critical to ensure that (border czar) Tom Holman receives the funding necessary to carry out President Trump’s promises.”

On Friday, he unveiled a proposal allocating $150 billion for national defense and $175 billion for border security, which includes new technology, space for detainees, and personnel. This new funding would be balanced by equivalent spending cuts. The Senate Budget Committee plans to begin work on Graham’s proposal next Wednesday.

If Graham and his committee finalize a budget outline before the House does, the House will need to either accept the Senate’s version or insist on their own.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, suggested on Wednesday that he is not overly concerned about potential discrepancies between the two chambers at this stage. He noted that passing the budget outline is merely the initial step.

However, Cole also cautioned that failing to develop that reconciliation package could result in the “largest tax increase in American history,” as the tax cuts enacted in 2017 are set to expire this year. If that situation arises, he projected that GOP members could face significant repercussions from voters in the 2026 elections.

“That’s just not how Republicans should operate,” he concluded.

Swapna Venugopal contributed.