Mike Johnson in trouble as Republicans sour on Trump’s 'problematic' agenda: report

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is slated to meet with the GOP House caucus Wednesday in an effort to shore up support for a massive spending bill chock-full of spending cuts backed by President Donald Trump, though several Republicans are already expressing concern, Punchbowl News reported.

Due to the GOP’s slim congressional majority, the bill, designed to funnel hundreds of billions of dollars into the Pentagon, is being pushed through reconciliation, a process that allows legislation to advance with a simple majority and sidestep the typical 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

However, the process also requires bills to be budget neutral, meaning for every dollar in proposed spending, an equal amount must be cut.

“I think that’s very problematic,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), the chair of the influential House Appropriations Committee, speaking with Punchbowl News. “Cuts in what? And tell me where those cuts are.”

Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), who sits on the Defense Subcommittee, told Punchbowl News to count him “as skeptical” of the proposal, and Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee, suggested backing significant spending cuts just months from the midterm elections was “going to be difficult.”

Trump has aggressively pushed lawmakers to approve the $350 billion reconciliation package, calling it a “generational investment in our military.” However, according to several GOP House representatives, the president may face an uphill battle in getting the bill delivered to his desk.

“We’ll see,” said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) on the prospects of the bill passing, speaking with Punchbowl News.

And Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) told Punchbowl News that “the odds are not looking good” when asked if he would support the bill.