MIAMI — In his first address to the House GOP conference as a second-term president, Donald Trump celebrated his first week in office, talked about the need for unity among Republican lawmakers and outlined a blueprint for the rest of his days in the White House — which, he suggested, might last more than four more years.
“I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that, I assume, I can’t use for myself,” Trump said.
“But I’m not 100%, because I don’t know,” he continued. “I think I’m not allowed to run again. I’m not sure.”
He then half-jokingly asked Speaker Mike Johnson, who was seated nearby onstage, “Am I allowed to run again?”
“I better not get him involved,” Trump said.
(Whether Trump actually wants to address the issue or not, some House Republicans are already pushing for a third term. Rep. Andy Ogles introduced a bill last week that would allow Trump to run for reelection, despite the 22nd Amendment.)
Either way, Trump focused most of his comments here at Trump Doral on his lofty plans for another term — and the grievances he accrued during his time out of office.
In extended remarks to kick off the annual House GOP retreat, the president name-checked his early policy priorities, including executing mass deportations, slashing government spending, extending tax cuts and ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Over the course of an hour, the new president delivered a vintage Trump performance, meandering from topic to topic — off-the-cuff — while he trolled his old rivals and patted himself on the back.
Trump did give House Republicans some insights into his thinking on a number of topics, particularly on TikTok. Trump said the popular social media app had helped him with his reelection.
“I’m a little biased toward TikTok right now,” Trump said, crediting the app with helping him win the youth vote.
Trump also reiterated his plan to enact tariffs on goods from U.S. trade partners — something Johnson said, hours before, the president was taking a “measured approach” on. But so bullish was Trump on tariffs that he came back to a frequent line from the 2024 campaign: that “tariffs” is one of his favorite words.
“God. Love. Religion. Tariffs,” Trump said, enumerating his list.
On enacting his immigration and economic agenda through Congress, Trump refused to definitively rule on the big strategic question roiling Republicans on Capitol Hill: one bill or two.
As Johnson pushes for a single reconciliation measure — as Trump had previously endorsed — the president said he ultimately didn’t care which way Republicans went as long as Republicans got his agenda through Congress.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has refused to back down from his insistence on two bills, and Trump appears content to let Johnson and Thune work it out amongst themselves. Regardless, Johnson reiterated in his own press conference on Monday that he is still targeting Feb. 24 as the deadline to pass a budget through both chambers.
Beyond the House and Senate leaders, Trump nodded at a few other House Republicans who might help muscle his priority through the House.
After spotting Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan in the back of the crowd, Trump said he was in “not a great seat for a man of great power.”
“I like that guy a lot,” Trump said of the founding chair of the House Freedom Caucus, who ran for speaker in October 2023.
Trump also complimented House GOP Whip Tom Emmer, whose own bid for speaker was derailed when Trump came out against him. “I’ve become friendly with him,” Trump said, noting that “some people don’t love him.”
Trump also acknowledged the challenge Emmer faces with a microscopic GOP majority that will require either near-unanimous agreement among Republicans in the House or some help from Democrats.
“I give the Democrats a lot of credit,” Trump said. “They have lousy policy. I think, frankly, half of them are totally crazy, but they do stick together.”
“The Republican Party,” he said, “has to stick together.”
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Riley Rogerson and Reese Gorman are reporters at NOTUS.