Washington, Jan 7
US President Donald Trump urged House Republicans to stay united and defy political history as he predicted a sweeping victory for the party in the 2026 midterm elections, using an address at the House GOP member retreat to endorse Speaker Mike Johnson and rally lawmakers behind his agenda.
Trump told the gathering that Republicans were positioned for what he called an unprecedented outcome. “Now we're going to make history and break records with the epic midterm victory that we're going to pull off,” he said.
Midterm elections have traditionally been difficult for the party holding the White House. Trump acknowledged that pattern but argued his presidency had changed the equation. “It just doesn't seem to happen for people that win the presidency,” he said, adding, “even if it's a successful presidency, they don't win.”
He described the current House majority as unusually cohesive despite its narrow margin. “This was not a big majority, but it's a unified majority,” Trump said, telling lawmakers they had delivered “12 months of unprecedented success in 2025.”
Trump used the speech — that lasted for over an hour — to praise House leadership, offering an unequivocal endorsement of Speaker Mike Johnson. “He has my complete and total endorsement,” Trump said, calling Johnson “tough as anybody in the room.”
At the same time, Trump acknowledged the limits imposed by the slim Republican margin. “You can't be tough when you have a majority of three,” he said, warning that internal divisions could derail legislative efforts.
Trump also paid tribute to Rep. Doug LaMalfa, whom he said had died the previous day. “I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member,” Trump said, calling LaMalfa “a fierce champion on California water issues.”
He said LaMalfa “voted with me 100 per cent of the time” and described him as a lawmaker who never needed persuasion. “He was with us right from the beginning,” Trump said.
Trump also said Rep. Jim Baird and his wife were recovering from a serious car accident. “They're going to be OK,” he said.
In his address, Trump framed party discipline and unity as essential to electoral success. “Just stay together,” he said, adding that Republicans had “all of the policy” while Democrats “stick together like glue.”
He accused Democrats of benefiting from internal unity even as they pursued policies he described as harmful. “They have a horrible policy,” Trump said. “But they do stick together.”
Trump urged Republicans, urging lawmakers to carry his message into their districts. “You have so much ammunition,” he said. “All you have to do is sell it.”
The House GOP retreat is part of the party’s early effort to align messaging and legislative priorities ahead of the midterms, which will determine control of Congress during the second half of Trump’s term.
Historically, US midterm elections have often served as a referendum on the sitting president, with voters shifting power to the opposition party. Republicans currently hold the House by one of the smallest margins in modern history.
