How Whip Tom Emmer and Trump Reforged the GOP Playbook on Spending Votes

WASHINGTON — Facing the first major legislative test after Republicans took control in 2025, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer made it a personal mission to upend a long-running Democratic assumption: that the GOP could not pass government funding on its own.

According to two people familiar with the remark, Emmer told his chief of staff, Robert Boland, “Bulls---. We’re going to prove him wrong.” In the weeks before a critical deadline, Emmer repeatedly pushed House Republicans at conference meetings to be prepared to pass a spending bill without Democratic votes — a sharp break from years of fractious intraparty fights that often forced leaders to cut bipartisan deals to keep the government open.

Enlisting Trump To Close The Deal

Hardline conservatives had long denounced stopgap funding measures and short-term bills as betrayals of promises to shrink government and reduce the debt. This time, however, Republican leaders — with Emmer counting votes behind the scenes — selectively deployed President Donald Trump to persuade holdouts. The result: the House passed its funding package with one Democratic vote, and later secured a crucial 216-214 budget vote that left no margin for defections.

“I don’t count Democrat votes,” Emmer told conference members. “You’re the only ones that I count, and you’re the only ones that matter to me.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer publicly stepped back from a filibuster threat, a move that created rare friction with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. Months later, the GOP’s ability to pass spending measures without Democratic support shaped the dynamics during a 43-day government shutdown, ultimately limiting Democratic leverage on health-care funding extensions.

Changing The Internal Dynamic

Despite a chaotic year of infighting, personality clashes and constant threats to pull bills from the floor, Republicans were able to flip a long-standing script: keeping the conference united on key spending and debt votes. Emmer, described by colleagues as blunt and direct, was central to that shift. He leveraged relationships forged as former House GOP campaign chair and learned when to push members personally and when to escalate tough cases to the president.

“Donald Trump is the Republican Party right now. There’s no question he is the leader,” Emmer said, adding that he tells wavering members that their support for Trump’s agenda reflects what their constituents want, not personal friendship.

Rep. Tom Emmer takes inspiration from this quote by the late Minnesota ice hockey player and Team USA coach Herb Brooks, which hangs prominently in his office. (Sahil Kapur / NBC News)(Sahil Kapur)

High-Drama Moments

One dramatic episode came in April, when Emmer learned a Republican lawmaker had texted Trump that the party lacked the votes to pass the budget underlying the so-called “big, beautiful bill.” Emmer called the president and warned him the lawmaker was trying to sink the bill. The budget passed 216-214.

The larger multitrillion-dollar package that followed included a debt-ceiling increase many Republicans had previously opposed. Emmer’s argument that killing the bill would hand Democrats leverage helped persuade skeptics, and the package became law on July 4.

Behind The Scenes Operator

While Speaker Mike Johnson is the party’s public face and Majority Leader Steve Scalise manages the floor, Emmer quietly counts and cajoles votes. Colleagues praise his tactical acumen and discretion; he says he operates like a “small-town law office” — keeping conversations private to preserve influence.

Emmer’s tenure has not been without tension. He briefly sought the speakership in October 2023 but withdrew after a conservative revolt and public criticism from Trump. He also voted to certify Joe Biden’s victory in 2021 — a break with Trump at the time — yet sources say their working relationship has since recovered.

As the GOP faces future deadlines and the pressure of looming midterms, Emmer’s strategy — blunt persuasion, selective escalation to the president and disciplined vote-counting — will face fresh tests. For now, Republican leaders credit him with helping the narrow majority hold together on some of its most consequential fiscal fights.

Reporting note: This article draws on interviews with members of Congress, leadership aides, White House officials and people familiar with private conversations. Some sources requested anonymity to speak candidly about sensitive discussions.