WASHINGTON – For months, Congressional Republicans have discussed how quickly they would implement President Donald Trump’s priorities after his inauguration. That moment has finally arrived.

However, there seems to be a lack of consensus on the best approach following a meeting between House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune with Trump at the White House on Tuesday, where they aimed to devise a plan for advancing a significant legislative package through the Republican-led Congress.

Johnson stated that he left the meeting feeling a strong sense of unity.

“We have developed a strategy that we are all collaborating on,” he noted. “The leadership in both chambers is working together, and the president is fully supportive.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., also indicated that the goal is to advance a single bill that addresses the primary objectives of the new administration, including strict enforcement against unauthorized immigration, enhancing domestic energy production, and rolling out an expansive new tax reform plan.

However, Thune seemed to have a differing perspective on the outcomes of their discussion. He mentioned to reporters post-meeting, “There are many excellent theories,” and warned that implementing those theories in practice can often differ. GOP Senate Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., stated: “The consensus among the party is on the reconciliation strategy.”

This lack of agreement adds uncertainty regarding how Trump’s campaign commitments will be fulfilled, even as he starts to reshape the federal government independently from Congress.

Central to the debate over strategy is the razor-thin margin in the House, where Republicans hold a slim lead of three votes at 218-215, leaving virtually no room for mistakes. If even a few Republicans break ranks while the Democrats stay united, the GOP will struggle to push its agenda through.

Trump acknowledged this reality during his inauguration speech at Capital One Arena.

This is why Senate Republicans are hoping Trump will align with them and shift to a two-bill approach, enabling them to quickly achieve victories on border and energy issues while taking a more considered approach to tackle the more divisive and intricate tax reforms.

“My administration will have great leaders,” Trump told the audience. “John Thune is fantastic, and Mike Johnson has a very tight majority. We are united in our voting.”

Whether that holds true remains unclear, as House Republicans faced numerous splits in the last Congress, where a small group of far-right members disrupted leadership-driven votes. Nevertheless, Republicans are optimistic that their desire to fulfill Trump’s agenda will foster unity.

“We’re committed to moving forward with a comprehensive bill in the House,” Scalise stated just hours after the meeting, in response to Thune’s remarks. “The one thing we all agree on is the content of the overall package: lowering energy costs, securing the nation’s borders, preventing tax hikes, and achieving regulatory reform.”

More Deadlines Looming

Aside from Trump’s agenda, the lawmakers had several other pressing matters to address during their gathering, including the imminent March 14 deadline for federal government funding.

The leaders have yet to determine their desired spending levels, let alone begin crafting the 12 bills necessary to pass both chambers and avert a government shutdown.

“Before we tackle (Trump’s agenda), we have to focus on March 14,” noted Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We need a top-line figure.”

Adding to the urgency, the United States is expected to hit its debt ceiling on Tuesday, requiring the Treasury Department to implement “extraordinary measures” to maintain government operations.

The debt limit restricts the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow. Raising this limit allows policymakers to finance existing expenditures. However, this politically sensitive vote is complicated since many conservatives are hesitant to approve additional debt.

Instead, Republicans are considering increasing the debt ceiling in conjunction with disaster assistance for Southern California, which has been suffering from severe wildfires for the past two weeks. They believe that this strategy could incentivize Democrats to support the measure, offsetting the expected loss of some Republican votes.

Trump, who plans to visit areas affected by California wildfires on Friday, expressed support for this approach to reporters after the meeting: “In some ways, it’s been simplified by Los Angeles because they will require substantial funding, and I think you’ll find many Democrats are seeking assistance,” he remarked.

Other Republicans emphasized the necessity of this combined approach.

“There isn’t sufficient funding available for a wildfire relief package without borrowing,” stated Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. He added that linking these issues “would likely be more appealing to a broader spectrum of Congress as a whole.”