Johnson defends decisions on government funding

Some Republicans welcome speaker’s pushback, but others are concerned about party unity.

When Mike Johnson, R-La., campaigned to become speaker of the House, he privately told Republicans he could help manage the whims of hard-right members because they were cut from the same ideological cloth. But the debate over how to fund the government — which has consistently torn the conference apart — has made Johnson recognize his efforts can go only so far.

What’s happening

The House last week passed a Johnson-negotiated package of bills that averted a possible partial government shutdown, but the hard right has once again called foul, accusing Johnson of abandoning his conservative credentials in favor of Democratic demands.

More than a dozen Republican lawmakers and aides, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to outline private conversations, portrayed Johnson to The Washington Post as coming to terms in recent days with the reality: that many on the right, particularly within the House Freedom Caucus, will not relent on their legislative demands that have prevented the slim majority from passing conservative priorities.

Over the next days and weeks, Johnson will need to hold his conference together just enough to ensure the government doesn’t shut down over a pair of deadlines, while also working to find a solution that the majority of his conference can support on Ukraine and border security. How he proceeds navigating a razor-thin twovote majority will continue to test his resolve and the patience of many within the notoriously fractious conference. But some on the hard-right flank fear Johnson’s positioning to again rely on Democrats to fund the government, given sizable Republican opposition, means the speaker could become like past Republican leaders who have ultimately chosen to sideline the Freedom Caucus, which staunchly represents Donald Trump’s base voters.

PHOTOS BY J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP During a recent news conference, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. (right), defended his position, saying he is working “to turn an aircraft carrier” of how Washington deals with appropriation funding, which “takes a long time.” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., who previously chaired the Freedom Caucus, then put his arm around Johnson and defended him.

More than a dozen Republican lawmakers and aides, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity, portrayed the House speaker as coming to terms in recent days with the reality that many on the right, particularly within the House Freedom Caucus, which includes Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. (above), will not relent on legislative demands that have prevented the slim majority from passing conservative priorities.