WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump will return to Washington on Thursday to meet with GOP lawmakers to lay out his second-term agenda and aim to unify the party ahead of next month’s Republican National Convention.
These private meetings will be held at the Capitol Hill Club, providing Republican lawmakers the opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with their presidential nominee.
This will be Trump’s first public visit to Capitol Hill since the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol.
The meetings will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET.
What will Trump discuss?
Trump is expected to outline his campaign plans for the summer and detail his agenda if he is reelected as president.
He will address both House and Senate campaign headquarters near the U.S. Capitol to discuss key campaign issues, such as border security and mass immigration deportations. Additionally, his plan for tax cuts is expected to be highlighted, given that the ones from his first term expire next year.
In between, Trump is expected to speak at the Business Roundtable downtown, which routinely invites the presumptive presidential nominees to address the executives’ group. Many potential priorities for a new White House administration are being formulated by a constellation of outside groups, including Project 2025, that are laying the groundwork for executive and legislative actions, though Trump has made clear he has his own agenda.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., emphasized the importance of being prepared for a possible Trump presidency in his remarks to reporters Wednesday.
“I believe President Trump in his second term, which I believe he’ll have, can be the most consequential president of the modern era, because we have to fix effectively every area of public policy,” Johnson said. “I think we cannot waste a moment because there’s so many things to do. So, in light of that, we’re having discussions with he and his team now and amongst ourselves to plan accordingly.”
Trump’s first visit since New York hush money case
Thursday’s meetings will also mark the first time Trump will meet with House GOP members since a jury found him guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money case, making him the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime.
He faces sentencing in less than a month, just days before the Republican National Convention.
Thursday’s gathering will focus on quieting any friction within the party and rallying behind their nominee.
What are Democrats saying about this?
The chair of the House Democratic caucus has accused Republicans of “bending the knee” to Trump with this visit, claiming they are falling in line behind him.
“This is just another example of House Republicans bending the knee to Donald Trump,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the chairman of the House Democratic caucus.
Both protesters and supporters of Trump may be seen as the meetings commence Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
