NRCC Chair Richard Hudson Says He Didn’t Understand Trump’s Call to Deport U.S. Citizens

In a telephone town hall, the House Republican leader had to answer for some of Trump’s most extreme moves.

NRCC chairman Rep. Richard Hudson

NRCC chairman Rep. Richard Hudson held a telephone town hall Tuesday. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP

Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, followed his own advice and opted for a telephone town hall Tuesday night instead of an in-person event. He still had to answer for President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Hudson celebrated the “waste, fraud and abuse” that Musk’s DOGE says it has uncovered, but said in some cases, “Maybe they moved too fast,” and that he has “asked questions about specific moves.” He did not clarify which moves he’s inquired about.

While publicly backing Trump’s agenda, behind the scenes, Republican lawmakers have shown they are politically susceptible to the political toll of Musk’s slash-and-burn tactics. Hudson was at the forefront of that early on. Amid the backlash over Trump’s cuts and Musk’s involvement, he advised House Republicans to stop holding in-person meetings with constituents.