Senate GOP Blows Past Mike Johnson in Race to Win Trump Plan

Senate Republicans have bested their House counterparts in a “me first” battle over which chamber can move faster and take credit for passing Donald Trump’s big plans.

Duking it out on social media, Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced Tuesday the Senate will vote this week on a budget blueprint that Speaker Mike Johnson has dismissed as a “non-starter” in the House.

“It’s time to act on the decisive mandate the American people gave to President Trump in November—securing the border, rebuilding our defense, and unleashing American energy. That starts this week with passing Chairman @LindseyGrahamSC’s budget. Let’s get it done,” Thune posted on X Tuesday afternoon.

There was little House Republicans could do to stop the Senate from railroading them: the House is out of session all week in observance of President’s Day.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise tweeted back at Thune with a post touting the wonders of the House plan. That version aligns with Trump’s preferred strategy—a single “big, beautiful bill” tackling border security, tax cuts, energy reform, and defense spending while bypassing the filibuster.

“It’s time to act on ALL of the powerful mandates the American people gave to @realDonaldTrump in November,” Scalise wrote, emphasizing the House GOP plan’s inclusion of tax cuts (including eliminating the tax on tips), national defense, a two-year debt ceiling extension, and cuts to government waste identified by @DOGE. “All of Trump’s priorities in one big, beautiful bill start moving when we pass @RepArrington’s budget. Let’s go Make America Great Again!”

Johnson chimed in, boasting the House legislation is superior to the Senate’s because it fully incorporates Trump’s America First agenda rather than addressing it piecemeal.

“The House budget resolution implements President Trump’s FULL America First agenda, not just parts of it with promises to come back later for the rest. The American people gave us a mandate and we MUST deliver,” Johnson posted.

The ongoing House-Senate divide over a single vs. two-bill approach has heightened tensions, with the Senate’s planned vote this week pressuring a fractured House to act.

However, it remains unclear whether House Republicans—who hold a super slim majority—have enough support to pass their version despite its committee approval.

“It’s going to be a heavy lift,” one senior GOP House lawmaker told the Daily Beast.

Before the House left for its one-week district work period, Johnson reiterated that Graham’s bill was a non-starter.

“I’m afraid it’s a non-starter over here. And, you know, I’ve expressed that to him,” Johnson said. “We all are trying to get to the same achievable objectives—there are just different ideas on how to get there.”

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, however, complained the House wasn’t moving fast enough, citing urgent border security funding needs.

“What guides my thinking is the problem we have now—we’re running out of money,” Graham said last Tuesday after meeting with Border Czar Tom Homan.