House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed his opposition to a plan that would distribute stimulus checks to Americans using funds saved through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arguing that such funds would be more wisely allocated toward reducing the national debt.
“Well, you know, politically, it would be advantageous for us, since that would provide checks for everyone,” Johnson remarked during a Q&A session at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday.
“However, when we reflect on our fundamental principles, fiscal responsibility stands out as core to our conservative identity. Currently, we are burdened with a $36 trillion federal debt.”
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., shown here, was not enthusiastic about President Donald Trump’s DOGE stimulus plan. (Getty Images)
Johnson mentioned a “massive deficit” that exceeds $838 billion for the fiscal year 2025, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center, which the U.S. is currently facing.
“We need to tackle our debt. I believe that’s our priority,” Johnson asserted.
This statement follows President Donald Trump’s remarks about thinking of returning 20% of the DOGE-led savings to taxpayers during a speech at the FII Priority Summit in Miami on Wednesday.
Billionaire Elon Musk, at the helm of DOGE, stated on X that he would “consult with the president” regarding the initiative, which was first proposed by James Fishback, CEO of the Azoria investment firm.
Elon Musk aims for DOGE to eliminate $2 trillion from federal spending. (AP/Alex Brandon)
The goal of DOGE under Musk is to reduce federal expenditures by $2 trillion.
During his conversation with Newsmax on Thursday, Johnson cautioned that Americans might face the “largest tax increase in U.S. history” if Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is not extended before its expiration at the year’s end.
Currently, Congressional Republicans are attempting to leverage their majority to prolong Trump’s tax cuts and further his defense and border initiatives through an extensive bill via the budget reconciliation process.
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Reconciliation allows Johnson and the Republicans to bypass House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. (Getty Images)
The reconciliation process enables both the Senate and House to operate with simple majorities, allowing the ruling party to pass extensive budget legislation without the need for support from the opposition, which typically requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
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“We intend to take decisive action against the regulatory state, restoring order to the bureaucracy — with plenty of specifics and subcategories involved. This will be a significant, impressive bill. It’s essential to ensure its success, considering I hold a slim majority in the House,” Johnson stated. “I have just one vote for a lot of this.”
To extend Trump’s tax cuts alone is anticipated to cost over $4.5 trillion.
