Speaker Mike Johnson defended his approach to budget negotiations Monday, pushing back against Senate fiscal conservatives who want deeper cuts than what House Republicans have secured in recent deals.
“This will take more than just the flip of a switch,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol. “It’s going to take some time to get our fiscal house back in order.“
The Louisiana Republican faces growing criticism from Senate hawks like Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who argue House leadership hasn’t done enough to rein in federal spending. Johnson acknowledged their concerns but emphasized the political realities of divided government.
“I hear the frustration. I share it,” Johnson said. “But we’re dealing with the cards we’ve been dealt. With Democrats controlling the Senate and White House, we’ve made the best progress possible.”
Johnson pointed to the $20 billion in cuts secured in the recent appropriations deal as evidence of Republican gains. The package, finalized last month, represents the first year-over-year reduction in non-defense discretionary spending in nearly a decade, according to House Budget Committee analysis.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has publicly backed Johnson’s position. “Speaker Johnson has managed to extract meaningful concessions despite our limited leverage,” McConnell told reporters last week.
But this hasn’t satisfied budget hawks like Senator Lee, who wrote on social media: “House Republicans promised a fiscal revolution but delivered spare change.” His criticism reflects growing tension between pragmatists and hardliners within the GOP.
The disagreement highlights fundamental challenges facing Republican leadership. According to Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, these modest cuts barely scratch the surface of America’s fiscal problems.
“We’re looking at a $34 trillion national debt that grows by roughly $1 trillion annually,” MacGuineas told me in a phone interview. “The current cuts, while symbolically important, represent less than half a percent of federal spending.”
I’ve covered budget battles for over fifteen years, and this dynamic feels eerily familiar. Congressional leaders trumpet incremental victories while the broader fiscal trajectory remains largely unchanged. What’s different this time is Johnson’s precarious position as a relatively new Speaker navigating a razor-thin majority.
Johnson has attempted to reset expectations by framing current cuts as first steps in a longer process. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will fiscal sanity be restored overnight,” he said Monday.
The Speaker also revealed plans to address mandatory spending—the largest driver of federal deficits—in the next budget cycle. “Discretionary spending isn’t where the real problem lies,” Johnson explained. “We need structural reforms to programs that comprise over 70% of our budget.”
This approach aligns with recommendations from the Congressional Budget Office, which has consistently warned that discretionary cuts alone cannot address America’s fiscal imbalance.
Democratic leaders have pushed back strongly against any suggestion of entitlement reforms. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) characterized Republican proposals as “attacks on Social Security and Medicare that Americans depend on.”
The current spending levels will remain in effect through September 30, the end of the fiscal year. Johnson has pledged to advance all twelve appropriations bills individually before that deadline—a feat Congress hasn’t accomplished in decades.
“We’re restoring regular order to the appropriations process,” Johnson insisted. “That alone will create more opportunities for fiscal discipline.”
Budget experts remain skeptical about the likelihood of meaningful reform in an election year. “History suggests that significant fiscal restraint rarely happens when control of government is divided,” said Brian Riedl, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
Johnson’s challenge is further complicated by divisions within his own conference. Some moderate Republicans from competitive districts worry about campaign trail backlash from cuts to popular programs, while the House Freedom Caucus pushes for more aggressive reductions.
“We’re essentially arguing about rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told me after a recent vote. “Until we address mandatory spending, we’re just pretending to solve the problem.“
As both chambers prepare for the next round of budget discussions, Johnson’s leadership will face continued pressure from multiple directions. His ability to navigate these competing demands may determine not only his future as Speaker but also the Republican Party’s credibility on fiscal issues heading into November’s elections.
For now, Johnson appears committed to his incremental approach, betting that voters will reward progress over perfection. Whether that strategy satisfies his critics in the Senate remains to be seen.
