President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of two House Republicans for his administration could create problems if the GOP’s majority becomes too thin.
Trump has picked House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., as his ambassador to the United Nations. A source told Fox News Digital that Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., is his choice for National Security Adviser.
Both represent solid Republican districts that are unlikely to flip in special elections.
However, those elections may not happen until weeks or months after January 2025. This delay could slow down Trump’s first 100-day agenda.
“We didn’t wait until the day after the election to start planning this, and this shows the relentless focus of Donald Trump,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said on Tuesday.
“I know he’s already pulled a few really talented people out of the House—hopefully no more for a little while until special elections come up,” Scalise added. “But it shows you the talent that we have and the ability we have.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., agreed, noting that Trump is aware of the math behind these decisions.
“President Trump fully understands and appreciates the math here, and it’s just a numbers game,” Johnson said. “We believe we’re going to have a larger majority than we had last time. It’s too early to handicap it, but we are optimistic about that.”
“But every single vote will count,” Johnson continued. “If someone gets ill, has a car accident, or misses a flight, it affects the votes on the floor.”
House Republicans are set to win a narrow majority, similar to the 118th Congress. GOP leaders will face added pressure to maintain unity when pushing Trump’s agenda.