Trump’s ‘Jovial’ Capitol Hill Rallies Fuel Republicans’ 2024 Dreams

The former president didn’t get into the weeds on anything. But everyone heard what they wanted.

2016 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks to GOP delegates on the final night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo credit: Ali Shaker for Voice of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump met with congressional Republicans throughout the day on Thursday, huddling separately with House and Senate lawmakers who didn’t appear to be on the same page about what exactly he told them but were nonetheless “1000%” behind him, the former president boasted afterwards. 

The bicameral bonding sessions took place on opposite sides of the Capitol complex, placing Trump in the midst of the House-controlled GOP in the morning before shuttling over to the Senate side for a lunch with most of the minority party there. It was Trump’s first appearance on Capitol Hill since his crazed supporters attacked Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, and his recent felony conviction in New York state.  

While organizers touted the visit as a chance for Trump to talk second term strategy with Republicans hoping to clinch control of the House, Senate and White House in November, most of the attendees said there was very little talk about specific policies.  

Rep. Byron Donalds described the scene inside as “jovial.”

“The president was having a little fun. Cracking jokes, that kind of thing. But then also talking seriously about just working hard to get to the finish line in this election,” the possible vice presidential contender told reporters. 

When asked what Trump would do differently to address immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border after killing the bipartisan enforcement bill Senate lawmakers tried to shepherd through the Democratic-led chamber earlier this session, Donalds said that wouldn’t be a problem.