Trump addressed the representatives at the start of an all-day policy forum for House Republicans inside the Kennedy Centre, a performing arts building recently renamed in his honour.
The setting in the heart of Washington underscored how far Trump has come since January 6, 2021, five years ago, when rioters stormed the Capitol and set off years of criminal prosecution and political isolation.
In an address meant to energise his party, Trump conceded that his agenda has struggled to break through with voters.
He complained that Americans had quickly moved past his record on illegal immigration and that the press had paid little attention to his push to pressure drug companies to cut prices, which has yielded wins, albeit limited, for some consumers.
Campaign roadmap
He urged House Republicans to focus their messaging on drug prices, transgender athletes in women’s sports and cracking down on violent crime - issues he argued could sharpen contrasts with Democrats and mobilise voters ahead of 2026.
And he instructed Republicans to set internal disputes aside and focus on a disciplined message he believes can carry them in November.
He also used the moment to defend Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana), who has struggled to manage an ideologically divided conference with a razor-thin majority without Trump’s interference.
“He’s as tough as anybody in the room actually,” the US President said. “But you can’t be tough when you have a majority of three.”
“You can’t be Trump,” he said, appearing to mock his own confrontational style.
“You make 10 enemies, 20 enemies and that’s the end of that.”
The endorsement came at a critical moment for Johnson, who is trying to unify his unruly conference behind a second legislative package after passing a sweeping tax and immigration effort - dubbed by Trump the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Trump also urged House Republicans to reclaim healthcare from the Democrats as a political issue and to pass a voting ID law, while urging conservatives to remain “flexible on Hyde” a signal to lawmakers who have stalled negotiations over abortion language.
“You got to be a little flexible. You got to work something,” Trump said. “We’re all big fans of everything but you got to have flexibility.”
Capitol riot anniversary
Since returning to the presidency, Trump has continued to minimise the violence of the riot, calling the insurrection “a day of love” and ultimately fulfilling his promise to pardon participants charged with misdemeanours and criminal offences. Today, he again downplayed his role.
Across town, House Democrats marked the anniversary with a hearing featuring lawmakers, Capitol police officers and Pamela Hemphill, a rioter who entered the Capitol and later rejected a pardon from Trump.
“Once I got away from the Maga cult and started educating myself about January the 6th, I knew what I did was wrong,” she said.
“When Donald Trump pardoned us I rejected the pardon. Accepting that pardon would be lying about what happened on January 6. I am guilty.”
‘Got a lot of oil to drill’
Republicans refocused on their agenda, which the party is seeking to anchor on Trump’s economic agenda.
That effort has been complicated by his decision to deploy US forces to Venezuela and seize control of the country’s oil assets.
It’s a move that has resonated with some hawkish Republicans and members of both parties critical of Nicolas Maduro but concerned others who fear the President’s “America First” base will lose patience with his interventionism.
Trump argued the action would lower energy costs.
“Got a lot of oil to drill,” he said.
Trump’s address lasted for more than an hour and included everything from jokes about FDR’s disability to an aside about first lady Melania Trump’s distaste for his dance moves.
“I think I gave you something,” he concluded. “It’s just a road map. It’s a road map to victory.”
- Kadia Goba contributed to this report.
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.
