In the days since taking office, President Trump has followed through on some campaign promises by signing a series of executive actions, but as he takes the stage before congressional Republicans at their group retreat in Philadelphia today, he'll be asking his fellow GOP politicians for help making his agenda (specifically taxes, immigration, and Obamacare repeal) a reality.
As Politico reports, the retreat represents an opportunity for Trump to tap into the enthusiasm of lawmakers whose party just regained control over Congress and the White House for the first time in a decade.
“They’re excited about the proposition of landmark legislation,” the official said of congressional Republicans.
Protesters are active in Philly…
Here is Politico's list of things Republicans want to know from their president (based on conversations with more than a dozen lawmakers and aides):
DO YOU HAVE OUR BACK? Congressional Republicans — who have struggled in past years to keep the government open and avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt — are about to embark on what can only be described as one of the most ambitious years of legislating in the last decade. They plan to rewrite the nation’s health care law, tax code and spend hundreds of billions of dollars rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. The Hill has the expertise on policy — will Trump defer to them? But more importantly, when they start the messy work of legislating, is Trump going to stick with them, or undermine them and question their positions publicly? Will he use his perch to fervently defend them — members of Congress actually love when he tweets — or will he stand aside while they squirm?
ARE YOU WITH US ON ENTITLEMENTS AND DEBT? OR NOT? Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and the rest of the Hill GOP have spent the last few years screaming that structural problems in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are driving the country into crippling debt. Trump says he’ll balance the budget, but won’t touch entitlements. Impossible, say Republicans. Put on truth serum — or, simply talk to most any Republican privately — and they will tell you that Trump is a phony when he preaches fiscal discipline, but in the same breath says he won’t touch these social programs. Not to mention, Trump is going to spend piles of money on infrastructure, his border wall — not to mention the tax cuts he’s planning. So, President Trump, how are you going to balance the budget while spending huge amounts of money, and refusing to touch entitlements?
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ON TAXES? Yes, Republicans know Trump can slap tariffs on companies that do business overseas without any congressional approval. But when it comes to tax reform — the decades-long dream of many a legislator — where does Trump stand? Capitol Hill tax writers have well-laid plans, but Trump has frequently criticized the scheme’s cornerstone: taxing imports instead of exports. Will he let that blow up tax reform? Or will he acquiesce?
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE? During a closed session Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) smiled when he said lawmakers will be pleased to know who Trump plans to nominate to the Supreme Court. But Trump could face as many as three openings on the court, and Republicans want to know what exactly he’s looking for in a justice. Everyone has seen the list of Trump’s potential nominees to the bench. But those were crafted when he was a presidential candidate trying to make a point. Now, many Republicans are privately hoping that Trump looks beyond his list at some other conservative judicial minds around the country. Does Trump have a litmus test when it comes to justices?
And the most crucial thing to look out for…
Most every member of Congress wants to know how the president will help them personally. Ryan told Republicans yesterday that Trump has vowed to go to bat to boost his agenda. But will Trump hit the stump when it counts? Will he activate his base to back embattled members of Congress? He seems to get the point: There have already been quiet murmurs that Trump will hit the road to push his agenda, while simultaneously fundraising for House and Senate Republicans.
Live Feed (Trump is expected be begin speaking around 1230ET)…
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